The Lakers have stacked their roster brick by brick in the last few days. Following the trades, the LA side has made a strong statement on their title contention. However, there’s a major concern. Are these bricks sturdy enough? Are they strong enough to carry the Lakers’ big dream that Rob Pelinka & Co dreamed of? Looks like there are two obstacles: Luka Doncic & Mark Williams dilemmas. Let’s take a closer look.

Anthony Edwards recently said that the Mavs have created a “Monster” after breaking the Slovenian’s heart. However, in reality, the star guard still doesn’t seem to have reached the acceptance stage. TNT’s Jared Greenberg dropped a concerning update on the 25-year-old’s mental health ahead of the Lakers’ match-up against the Dubs tonight. “Yesterday, Lakers took part in a non-contact practice with Luka. They said he still looked like he was in shock,” said Greenberg.

This must be the last concern that JJ Redick & Co. expected to have come up in the Luka Doncic trade. However, it is what it is. Mental health is real. Moreover, the coaches seemed to have found a way to deal with this.

The reporter added, “Coaches are giving him his space, giving him the opportunity to get acclimated with his new city, with his new teammates, and to the shock value of the fact that he got traded.” 

Will this be enough to make the guard fit seamlessly into the Lakers‘ fold? Well, that’s doubtful. Even though we saw the visuals of Luka Magic on the courtside and jersey photo shoot, the star might need his time to let everything sink in. That’s what exactly JJ & Co. has done too. Reports had suggested that Luka Doncic would make his debut on Saturday, recovering from his calf injury. However, Jared Greenberg’s latest report stated that the team pushed it to Monday. This will help the star heal both physically and mentally. In the same breath, let’s dive into Mark Williams’ concern.

Following Luka Dončić, Mark Williams’ condition raises doubts about the Lakers’ decisions

The Lakers have solved all their problems on paper. They wanted a big and even considered the market for the #5  position as “dry” but still managed to rope in a promising talent. In fact, the Lakers paid a lot more than what they paid for Luka Doncic. The team roped in the 7-foot big man in exchange for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a first-round pick, and a first-round swap. It may seem like a heavy price for a three-season experienced center.

However, to be honest, Rob Pelinka had managed to dig out a diamond under everyone’s nose. In the words of Greenberg, Williams’ trade has “got a ton of upside.” The 23-year-old has a 9 ‘9 standing reach which is higher than Victor Wembanyama‘s reach and holds an impressive stat line this season, recording 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game. At the same time, he also has a major downside.

“Mark Williams has some issues with his body, including a bad back that has limited his playing time. Just coming off a foot injury but that back injury has prevented him from getting into the weight room and strength. That has really stunted his growth,” said Greenberg. Despite the vertical spacing that he brings to the court, the Lakers still need to be mindful of it.

In his 3-year-long career, Williams has managed to play only 85 games, in which he missed 61 games in the sophomore year alone. So, the only positive is that the Lakers have the opportunity to decide whether to extend his contract, as his rookie contract will expire in a year. But, the team has also paid a heavy price. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.