Ziaire Williams didn’t need long to make a case for himself in a Lakers uniform.
In his preseason debut Monday night, the 25-year-old forward started and helped Los Angeles roll past Sacramento 127-103, finishing with 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting. He hit all three of his 3-point tries, added a steal and logged a little more than 20 minutes. For a team looking for pieces that fit around Luka Doncic, that kind of opening night mattered.
Williams’ value starts with the stuff that doesn’t always jump off the box score. At 6-foot-9 with length and athleticism, he gives the Lakers a defender who can take on tough perimeter assignments.
Against the Kings, Los Angeles put him on the ball while Doncic handled much of the offense. That setup says plenty about how the Lakers see him.
But the shot-making is what could really move the needle.
Williams is coming off a career-best season from deep, hitting 34.3% of his 3-pointers with the Brooklyn Nets last year. Monday’s perfect night from beyond the arc was a small sample, sure, but it was the kind of look the Lakers had to like. If that stroke keeps trending up, he becomes a much more useful piece next to Doncic and Austin Reaves, two creators who can manufacture open looks all night long.
And Williams knows exactly where he fits.
“Obviously Luka and AR are going to be the main primary ball handlers,” Williams said before the season. “So just playing off them, being able to shoot, cut, make plays in transition, stuff like that.”
That role suits him, especially because the Lakers aren’t asking him to carry an offense. They need him to defend, run the floor, cut hard and cash in on the chances their stars create. Monday, he did those things well enough to hint at something more.
The age part makes this even more interesting. Williams has already been in the league five seasons, but he just turned 25 in September. He was the No. 10 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and he’s still young enough to grow with Doncic, who is 27, rather than simply fill a veteran stopgap spot.
He also looks different physically than he did earlier in his career. Williams had previously been listed at 185 pounds, but said this offseason that he’s now around 215. He called the summer his biggest yet in terms of weight and strength, a change that could help him absorb bigger matchups without losing the quickness that makes him intriguing on the wing.
That matters for a Lakers team that spent the offseason reshaping its supporting cast around defense, length and low-usage players. Williams checks those boxes, but he also brings something else the Lakers want: room to keep getting better.
His first preseason outing was encouraging, not defining. He wasn’t the top scorer - Doncic led the way with 21 points in just 16 minutes - and he doesn’t have to be. What Los Angeles needs is a dependable two-way forward who can defend, space the floor and grow alongside its new franchise centerpiece.
Williams still has to prove the jumper can hold up over time. One hot preseason game doesn’t erase the inconsistency that has followed him through Memphis and Brooklyn.
Still, the fit is obvious, and the upside is real.
The Lakers may not have found a star in Williams. They may have found something just as useful: a forward who can grow into the kind of partner Doncic needs.
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Warriors Got An Early Look At A Lakers Question That Still Matters
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Jarred Vanderbilt once again flashed the defensive value that has long made him an interesting piece in Los Angeles, even as his offense stayed limited. On the other end, Jaden Hardy showed some scoring ability but also gave the ball away too often, which is the kind of preseason tradeoff that can linger into the regular season. With roster spots still unsettled, these kinds of performances are part of the evaluation the Lakers will keep weighing as they move closer to opening night. [Read more 🡒]
Austin Reaves Is Defining His Voice For This New-Look Lakers Team
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Reaves has been clear about the kind of leadership he prefers, and it is not built around public callouts or dramatic scenes. He sees it as something more personal, rooted in one-on-one conversations and calm accountability, a style that fits his approach and the way he connects with teammates. For the Lakers, the question is not just whether he can produce, but whether that quieter voice can help set the tone for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Stephen Curry Kept This Lakers Loss From Feeling Like Just Preseason
The preseason opener in San Francisco carried more than the usual September exhibition feel, with the Warriors turning it into Nellie Night in honor of the late Don Nelson. Golden State wore yellow Nellie patches on its jerseys, a nod to the coach who helped shape the franchise and, for Stephen Curry, the rookie-season veteran whose influence still lingers as one of the defining figures in his early NBA path.
Curry helped make sure the night had some edge for the Lakers, too. He played 14 minutes and scored 16 points as Golden State rolled to a 124-98 win, giving the game a little more weight than a typical tune-up. The teams will meet again in the regular season on October 21, when the stakes will be real and the Lakers will get their first chance to respond. [Read more 🡒]