However, the Pelicans were not the only team interested in Williams.
The Clippers, Rockets, and Mavericks were all interested in Williams.
After losing Paul, the Clippers lacked an outside scorer who could handle the ball, and Williams' style suited them well;
The Mavericks were in the same situation. Having Emphasized Team Basketball this season, they needed to improve their rotation if they wanted to contend with the Pelicans and Warriors;
The Rockets' thinking was more complicated. On one hand, they wanted to continue strengthening their bench. On the other, if they acquired him, the Pelicans could not, which would indirectly prevent a rival from improving;
In short, a player who was the leader of a weak team, had immediate impact, carried a modest salary, and did not cost much was a prized commodity in the eyes of championship contenders. Everyone wanted him.
Who he would end up with depended on the final offers from each team and how the Lakers' management weighed the pros and cons.
Williams had become a prized commodity on the trade market, but he was far from the only player put on the block ahead of this year's Trade Deadline. In fact, there were many.
The 76ers were shopping their three frontline players: Okafor, Noel, and Randle. None of them were viewed as a core piece for the team's future;
The Magic were shopping Ibaka, one of the former Thunder Young Four whom they had acquired in a summer trade;
The Wizards were shopping their core point guard, John Wall;
The Kings were shopping their core player, Chris Bosh;
The Nuggets were shopping their top scorer, Gallinari;
The Grizzlies put their only All-Star Player, Marc Gasol, on the block;
The Jazz were gauging Gordon Hayward's Trade Value on the Free Agency Market;
Rumors were everywhere,