The Los Angeles Lakers’ 2024-25 season is now officially over after they lost Game 5 of their first-round playoff series to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday.
Yet again, as was the case throughout the series, the Lakers got beaten badly on the boards, and it proved to be the biggest difference in the series. They were outrebounded 54-37, and they gave up 18 offensive rebounds and 20 second-chance points.
They simply couldn’t find a way to neutralize Minnesota’s frontcourt, which was bigger and stronger than their own.
Back in February, Los Angeles appeared to have made a move to significantly improve in that department when it agreed to send Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 first-round draft pick and a 2030 pick swap to the Charlotte Hornets for emerging young center Mark Williams. But Williams failed his physical, and the trade was rescinded.
Williams seemed to troll the Lakers on Twitter about their playoff defeat.
Williams has had injury troubles in his three NBA seasons, but he appeared in most of Charlotte’s games following the rescinded trade and finished the season averaging 15.3 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 26.6 minutes per game. His size at seven feet and 240 pounds and his athleticism would’ve helped the Lakers’ prospects this season, as well as in the future.
But if his physical revealed something troubling that would’ve made him a perpetual injury risk, then perhaps he wasn’t worth the significant capital the team agreed to give up.
