Ahead of tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Hornets big man Mark Williams set the record straight on the canceled trade that would have paired him with LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Williams says that he was shocked by the news and believes that he’s healthy despite failing the Lakers’ physical.
“I didn’t think I had failed my physical. That didn’t even cross my mind,” said Williams, via the Charlotte Observer. “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.”
While there were reports of Williams not reporting back to Charlotte, he admitted that the situation was out of his control.
“There’s not really much I can do,” said Williams. “Like I said, I’ve been playing. You went from shocked to excited, back to shocked. You control what you can control.”
In the moments following the blockbuster Luka trade, the Lakers were desperate to impress their new superstar by acquiring a center before the deadline. They eventually struck up a deal for young center Mark Williams, believing that he was someone who could thrive alongside Luka Doncic.
With averages of 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game this season, Williams is the perfect young center to catch lobs, block shots, and crash the boards. According to the Hornets, it was the Lakers who called for Mark and it took a package of Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and a future first-round draft pick to get the deal done.
While Williams has struggled with injuries in the past, he was playing heavy minutes leading up to the trade and there were no signs he was injured in any way. In his last game before the deadline, Williams played 25 minutes and dropped six points and five rebounds on 2-8 shooting.
The Lakers, however, canceled it all at the last minute, citing a failed physical as the reason. We don’t know what the Lakers found that made them flag Williams as untradeable, but they have full authority to approve or reject his physical for any reason they see fit. The prevailing theory among experts is that the Lakers simply changed their mind about the trade after reflecting on what they gave up.
Naturally, the Hornets disputed the rescinded trade right away and they even went to the league office in hopes of launching some investigation into the matter.
Ultimately, nothing can be done now but Williams still believes he is fit to play and he has a chance to make the Lakers regret sending him back. In fact, Mark is set to return tonight against the Lakers and it’s the perfect opportunity for a revenge game for the 7’0″ big man.
If he can play well and challenge the Lakers in the frontcourt, it may be enough for them to pull off the upset win. More importantly, it will make the team look foolish for failing Mark’s physical and giving up the chance to trade for him.
With his reputation on the line, this game is going to be intense for Mark Williams and he will surely look to expose the Lakers’ thin frontcourt with the world watching tonight.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.
