“Honestly, like f–k y’all,” Williams remarked. “I was excited to go there. I thought I was a piece that could really help them. Obviously, going into the playoffs. And then once they lost, obviously, I tweeted a little smiley face. I was hating.”

At 24, Williams was seen as a potential solution to the Lakers’ size issues, given his imposing stature of 7-foot-1 and 240 pounds. Yet, the Lakers pulled back due to concerns over his health, particularly a back injury that sidelined him for the 2023–24 season and a minor foot fracture that kept him off the court for lengthy periods last year.

The Hornets then turned around last offseason and traded Williams to the Phoenix Suns for the No. 29 pick (Liam McNeeley), a 2029 first-round pick, and Serbian basketball player Vasilije Micić.

Williams has played well for the Suns, putting up 13.1 points and 8.2 rebounds across an average of 24 minutes in 27 games.

The Suns (19-14) have had a bit of a surprising season, currently sitting in the seventh seed of the Western Conference, just behind the Lakers, who are the No. 5 seed.

Lakers coach JJ Redick recently blasted his team for lack of effort, perhaps pointing to big men Rui Hachimura and replacement center Deandre Ayton, whom they had hoped would command the position they had traded for Williams.

“We don’t care enough right now,” Redick said of his team’s woes after a blowout loss against the Rockets on Christmas Day. “We all care. But we don’t do the things that are necessary. We don’t care enough to be a professional.”

Williams put up solid numbers in three games against the Lakers where they’ve lost twice but not due to poor performance from the center.

He averaged 17 points and seven rebounds in his three revenge games and will get two more before the season comes to a close.