The Los Angeles Lakers‘ trade for Mark Williams seemed like a done deal, but in a stunning turn of events, the trade was rescinded due to Williams failing his physical examination. The trade, which would have sent Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 first-round pick swap, and a 2031 first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Williams, fell apart at the last minute.
Lakers insider Jovan Buha shed light on what led to the trade’s downfall on his latest podcast.
“I would say not surprising with the way the last couple of days have gone in terms of the Lakers even announcing the trade—that taking longer than normal in terms of when it was announced—and then, uh, just Williams not being cleared to play today.”
“Of note, Williams had a placard and a locker in the locker room, so you know, that was something interesting that I observed tonight.”
“We were given a heads-up that some news was going to be coming, but we weren’t sure what it was going to be. Uh, I thought maybe, finally, they were going to announce like, ‘Hey, all physicals have been passed, Williams is coming through, he’s going to play Monday’ or something like that.”
“And then we get the news that, uh, because of the Hornets’ side of the deal, the trade has fallen through and been rescinded. And then, uh, talking to people, I get the intel that he failed his physical, and ultimately, that’s why this trade did not go through.”
Following the trade’s collapse, the Charlotte Hornets released a statement, making it clear they were reluctant to trade Williams in the first place. Interestingly, this contradicts the Lakers’ version of events.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka had previously stated that Charlotte initiated the trade talks, reaching out to Los Angeles due to their need for a center. This dispute raises questions about whether the Hornets were truly invested in moving Williams, or if the Lakers were misled regarding his injury situation.
Williams has struggled with injuries throughout his career, which was a primary concern for the Lakers. He missed the first 20 games of the 2024-25 season due to a strained tendon in his left foot, and even in his healthiest seasons, has never played more than 43 games in a single year.
However, once Williams underwent his physical with the Lakers, the reality was different. Something in his medical reports or exam results was concerning enough for the Lakers to completely back out of the deal rather than risk acquiring him.
The failed trade leaves the Lakers in a difficult position. They traded Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic, hoping to replace Davis’ defensive presence with Mark Williams. With Williams no longer an option, they now lack a reliable starting center.
Meanwhile, Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish will return to the Lakers, though it remains to be seen how their roles will be impacted after nearly being traded.
With the trade deadline over, the Lakers cannot acquire another center through trade until the offseason. Their only remaining option is to explore the buyout market or sign a free agent. The Lakers’ title hopes were built on pairing Luka Doncic and LeBron James with a strong defensive center. Now, they must find another way to fill that void.
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