Luka Doncic had been a member of the Los Angeles Lakers for nine days, but that stretch almost didn't feel real given that L.A.'s newest star had been side

The Lakers' trade for center Mark Williams shows that the team isn't just looking toward the future. They want to win now.

This trade was about the opportunity to acquire a 25-year-old perennial MVP candidate at half the cost. It was not about this season, either. The Lakers are not winning a championship with James making 35% of their salary cap.