The Lakers had an amazing trade window. Their roster was looking good all of a sudden. Almost too good. First, they sent Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick packing to Dallas to bring in Luka Doncic. That alone was a league-shaking move. But they didn’t stop there. L.A. followed up by flipping Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 first-round pick, and a 2030 pick swap to the Hornets for Mark Williams.

Seemed like a solid move, right? Well, not so fast. Trades usually go through unless a player fails their physical—something that’s pretty rare. But guess what? That’s exactly what happened. Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Williams didn’t clear his medical evaluation, forcing the Lakers to scrap the whole deal.

Mark Williams has played in only 39.6% of matches in his career. Which was a cause of concern. There is speculation that the Hornets might have withheld crucial medical information from the Lakers. But Keith Smith has rubbished such rumors.

“That’s not what happened. And, again, the Lakers did their own checks. They didn’t like something they found. Just because they didn’t like, it may not be a concern for the Hornets.” he tweeted.

The reason this trade was completely wiped out? Timing. If the deal had gone down earlier, both teams could have handled physicals before the deadline. That would’ve given them some wiggle room—maybe the Lakers tweak the first-round pick or throw in protections to make it work.

But since that didn’t happen, their choices were black and white: either push the trade through as-is or call the whole thing off. No middle ground, no last-minute adjustments. So what does this mean for the Lakers’ squad planning?

What other options can the Lakers look at after the Mark Williams trade fell through?

With the trade window over, the Lakers will have to play out the rest of the season without a starting center. They’re not going to find a perfect solution in free agency or the buyout market, but there are a few serviceable big men who could at least help stabilize things in the short term.

Mo Bamba stands out as the most logical choice. He put up 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds with the Clippers this season and already had a brief run with the Lakers. He wouldn’t fix everything, but his length and shot-blocking could be useful.

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Daniel Theis brings experience and reliability. Averaging 7.1 points and 4.7 rebounds, he’s a steady veteran who wouldn’t need much time to adjust. If the Lakers want a dependable presence, he’s an option.

Taj Gibson isn’t a free agent yet, but if the Hornets buy him out, he could be on L.A.’s radar. At this stage, he’s not a high-impact player, but his toughness and leadership could be valuable.

Robin Lopez hasn’t suited up this season, but if he’s open to a return, his size and experience might be worth a look. He wouldn’t play major minutes, but he’d add some depth.

Then there’s Olivier Sarr, who’s younger but coming off an Achilles injury. He’s more of a long-term project, but if the Lakers want to roll the dice on potential, he’s an interesting name. None of these options are ideal, but with limited choices, the Lakers might have to settle.