On February 6, Beijing time, the Lakers sent Knecket, Reddish, a 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round swap to get Hornets center Mark Williams. Subsequently, the well-known American media The Athletic rated the deal, and the Lakers were rated A- and the Hornets were rated A. It's a win-win deal overall, but the Hornets seem to be the bigger winners.

Lakers Trade Rating: A-

On the surface, exchanging these chips for Ma Wei seems to be a bit overpriced. The third-year center has played just 85 games in his career so far — 43 in his rookie season, 19 last season and 23 so far this season. It's not the replacement you want for Anthony Davis. The Lakers dropped Kneckt, a promising rookie who has excellent outside shooting. They also gave up an unprotected first-round pick and a first-round swap, which is a big investment for a big man who hasn't played much in the NBA and hasn't fully proven himself.

Mark Williams has been in excellent form so far this season, though. He averaged 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. He's shooting nearly 60 percent from the field and 78 percent from the free-throw line, so he's not the kind of big man you can easily break through. With the help of good teammates, he should be a solid defensive pillar to protect the basket. He's also a perfect pick-and-roll big man for James or Doncic, as he's an absolute open threat near the basket. Williams shot 74 percent from within 3 feet of the basket.

Like no one knew before that Doncic could be traded, the Lakers ended up getting him. Williams wasn't really involved in a lot of trade negotiations, but the Lakers got him with an aggressive offer. What they need to make sure is that he stays healthy in the future, and overall, Williams can quickly adapt to what they're doing on the offensive end. As for the defensive end, it could be a little slower, but in any case, it's more of a future-proof acquisition.

Williams has one year left on his rookie contract, and he will be eligible for a contract extension until next season. The Lakers could give him access to the restricted free agent market in 2026 and maintain some salary flexibility. While the trade was a bit risky and overpaid, it was a bit less expensive considering they had previously paid for Doncic. This also strikes a balance.

Hornets Trading Rating: A

The Hornets received Kneckett, Reddish, a 2030 first-round pick swap and a 2031 unprotected first-round pick.

The Hornets have spent much of this season trying to build a new culture that has never been seen before. It's not just coach Charles Lee trying to help the Hornets out of this difficult situation, but management and owners are also trying. They have sent Richards away, and now they have decided to give up on Mark Williams. It's not a bad decision when you can get so much in return.

Knecht shot a very high percentage of three-pointers early in the season, but it dropped shortly after. But we know he's a great goalscorer in the long run, and he showed that in college. He will be an excellent option for players like Threeball and Miller to expand their attacking space. Unfortunately, Miller has been reimbursed for the season, but Kneckett is a plug-and-play type of player who can give the Hornets some experience for the rest of the season. The Hornets get a chance to see what he can do without the pressure to win.

Reddish continues to toss and turn in the league, and he probably won't be in the Hornets for long. He used to have a lot of potential, but now he's probably just a base-salary winger. Draft picks are likely to determine the eventual impact of this deal on the Hornets. They're betting that the Lakers will have a tough time in five to six years. If they can't build a good team around Doncic, James will be retired by then. It would be nice if draft swap rights were useful for the Hornets as well. But it's more about the unprotected first-round pick in 2031.

It can be used in the draft or as a trade chip. The Hornets have stockpiled first-round picks at the last two trade deadlines, and while they don't have as many draft picks as the Thunder, they have about 10 first-round picks (including their own) available over the next few years. They are still well prepared for the future.