After the Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, many analysts across the league claimed the Lakers’ lack of a conventional big man was the key reason why the Timberwolves were able to dominate them. This result made every analyst wonder what the team could’ve done with Mark Williams on the roster. Just hours after the Lakers’ exit, a shocking report was published in the LA Times that made a major claim about the Williams trade.
LA Times’ Bill Plaschke wrote in his report, “Luka needs a lob partner. He needs a rim protector. He needs the sort of big man he had in Dallas when he led the Mavericks to that improbable NBA Finals appearance. Everyone thought the Lakers had this big man this winter when Pelinka followed Doncic’s stunning acquisition with a trade for Charlotte’s Mark Williams. But then the Lakers got cold feet. They worried that they overpaid for Williams, worried that he was too immature for their smart, veteran system, and eventually that worry turned a bad physical exam into a deal killer.”
On the trade deadline day, Mark Williams was traded by the Charlotte Hornets to the Lakers for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish and additional assets. This move was then rescinded a few days later after Williams reportedly failed a medical exam, following which the Lakers claimed the Hornets ‘failed to meet a trade condition’ and reversed the move.
What Mark Williams Said About The Lakers’ Decision To Rescind His Trade
Mark Williams couldn’t believe that the medical exam was the only reason the trade was rescinded by the Lakers. Williams spoke to the Charlotte Observer about his true feelings on the trade.
“I didn’t think I had failed my physical. That didn’t even cross my mind. The night I got traded, I played hella minutes. I didn’t think in any world that was possible. Since I’ve been back at the start of the year, I’ve played games with a lot of minutes. I feel like every injury I’ve had has been well-documented and I’ve recovered, and been 100% since. So, I don’t know what went into that decision. I think that’s up to them”, he said.
While Williams was uncertain about what went down behind the decision to rescind his trade, this new report would surely give him some closure. If what this report claims is true, the Lakers made a very unethical decision that has eventually cost them in the Playoffs.
Mark Williams Gets The Last Laugh
After the Lakers’ game 5 loss to the Timberwolves, Williams took to social media and posted a few cryptic reactions that essentially indicated he was happy to see the Lakers’ downfall. Rudy Gobert’s game 5 performance (27 points with 23 rebounds) was the final nail in the Lakers’ coffin. If Mark Williams was on the floor, Gobert would not have had 23 rebounds as easily as he did. Those rebounds converted into second-chance points, which killed the Lakers’ hopes down the stretch of a nail-biting game.
If Mark Williams was on the floor, do you think the Lakers would have won the series? Would he have been the right fit alongside Luka Doncic as a lob threat for the Lakers? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
