Report: Luka Dončić was ‘impressed’ with how quickly Lakers attempted to trade for center

While the trade for Mark Williams didn’t go as planned, the attempt by the Lakers hasn’t gone unnoticed by Luka Dončić.

The Lakers were as active as ever during this trade deadline, pulling off arguably the most shocking deal in NBA history to bring Luka Dončić to Los Angeles.

While that move was a “seismic” one as Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said, the franchise didn’t stop there. They reportedly talked to Luka about what was needed at the center spot and went out and traded for Mark Williams.

The deal was ultimately rescinded after the Lakers reportedly failed Williams’ physical. However, the trade was made and the Lakers’ effort didn’t go unnoticed.

In his latest Substack newsletter, NBA insider Marc Stein discussed how Luka’s camp was impressed with the franchise listening and acting on Luka’s desires.

Yet there has been no tangible dismay from the Dončić camp about his new team walking away from the Williams deal. Sources told The Stein Line that Dončić, in his first discussion about roster construction with Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, told Pelinka that he understood it might take until the summer to make that addition ... and came away impressed by how swiftly the Lakers initially moved to try to address that void.

Gaining a quality big would’ve been great, but the team making it clear to Luka that he has a voice is arguably even more crucial.

One reason the Lakers reportedly didn’t want to give up two first-round picks for Luka is that he could walk away in 2026. Now, while the idea of Luka leaving Los Angeles when he will be the guy may seem laughable, an organization can’t scoff at that possibility.

Luka needs to see and know that he is a franchise player and will have all the perks that come with it, including having a say in the roster. By making this deal, they’ve put action behind their words, even if the result wasn’t the desired outcome.

While this attempt at trading for a big failed, it did let Luka know he’s a priority, which will hopefully build trust with him and the front office. If he was impressed with what Pelinka accomplished in just a matter of days, just wait until he sees what Rob cooks up this summer to help build a roster that fits Dončić’s needs.

If the Lakers play this winning hand right, they should have a great partnership with Luka for years to come. So far, the honeymoon has been all sunshine and rainbows, which is a common occurrence in Southern California.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.