The resonance from the LA Lakers’ elimination from the playoffs this season is felt for a while as they have become victims of their own expectations.
A strong regular season finish led them to third place in the brutal Western Conference.
The Los Angeles Lakers appeared in the series as a favorite, but were given a rigorous reality check by The Timberwolves, led by physical players.
Brian Windhorst argues that the Lakers weren’t supposed to have been a favorite from the start, given the decisions made weeks before the series had already confirmed their fate.
The Lakers front office has received a lot of praise this season and is rightly praised given that he has undoubtedly designed the most seismic trade in NBA history by trading with Luka Donsic.
Donsic has settled on his new team as challenges grow with LeBron James, but no one doubts that it will make the Lakers better in the long run.
But there are also some question marks of praise, and they now stare in the face at the front office just after this elimination.
Brian Windhorst argued on ESPN that not only did the Lakers get bullied in the interior, but that Williams unleashed another level of his game, but that the Lakers’ decision to withdraw Mark Williams’ trade every day has been worse.
Even James gives credit to Windhorst’s theory as he made a surprising Anthony Davis comment about a team that requires size.
Windhorst said: “We’ve already fallen in the deficit as we traded two rotation players and got Luka Doncic. As soon as we decided to refuse Mark Williams’ trade, they were not in a position to help the roster.
“Williams averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds and shot 62% off the field in the 21 games he played.
Mark Williams did not hide his feelings after the Lakers were eliminated, so there is clearly some sour heart between the parties about the deal still in the dark about why it was cancelled.
Bobby Marks previously said that Mark Williams wasn’t a different maker and wouldn’t have changed the results of this series, but the Lakers were so short in height and physicality that even Alex Wren was signed on the roster!
It is impossible to see Williams, a player who is almost certainly better than Wren at this point, did not make a difference.
The Lakers have a better backcourt, Don Sic is a generational talent, and the presence of some interiors may have helped Austin revive in an increasingly tactical playoff series.
Now, the Lakers seek vertical presence in the offseason, but at Williams, there were already people trapped in who could make a difference this offseason.
Every Don Chic hit makes a mistake like this.