Inside the most chaotic, transformational NBA trade deadline in Lakers history - ESPN

THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS stunned the basketball world by dealing for franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic five days before the NBA trade deadline, and then stunned everyone all over again two days after it when they rescinded their swap for 7-foot center Mark Williams.

For 48 hours, at least, the Lakers existed in the rare competitive territory of improving in the present, for LeBron James, while also fortifying the future of the franchise. It's the state of operation that can make an organization's championship standard a reality.

Just as soon as the transformation set in, the Lakers shifted gears to a different present reality.

At 9:01 p.m. ET Saturday, nearly a week after the Doncic deal was agreed on — costing Anthony Davis, Max Christie and the Lakers' 2029 first-round pick — the Williams trade was nixed. Williams was to join the Lakers in exchange for rookie Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets that was agreed to Wednesday night. But Williams failed L.A.'s physical exam, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania. Williams failed not because of the back injury that sidelined him most of last season, but because of multiple other issues of concern, sources said.

Beyond the awkward reunion when Knecht and Reddish report back to the Lakers (team sources expect both to return in the coming days), the roster's present construction, to quote vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka, «has continued work to do to become complete.»

The problem is that the trade deadline has passed. The window is closed. And the situations for James and Doncic suddenly aren't as congruent.

Rather than Pelinka having results to show after his first extended meeting with Doncic at the team's