Lakers And Hornets Trade Of Mark Williams Falls Apart Over Physicals.
The Los Angeles Lakers made two significant trades before the NBA’s trade deadline, but only one of them, the Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis deal, will be finalized.
Late Wednesday night, the Lakers made another move by trading for Mark Williams from the Hornets to address their center position. The Lakers sent a first-round pick, a pick swap, and Dalton Knecht to Charlotte, aiming to get Williams as their version of Dereck Lively II, who thrived alongside Doncic in Dallas. However, on Saturday, Williams was neither on the Lakers’ roster nor listed on their injury report, and later that night, the teams confirmed the trade was rescinded.
According to Bobby Marks, the trade was contingent on both players passing physicals, and since the deadline had passed, no changes could be made. While the teams did not disclose the exact reason, Shams Charania reported the issue was Williams’ physical, as the Lakers did not clear him due to several concerns. Williams has struggled with injuries in the past, playing just 84 games over his 2.5 seasons. In some trades, physicals can be waived, but in this case, given the significant investment from the Lakers, the trade relied on both players passing team physicals. Since that didn’t happen to the Lakers’ satisfaction, the trade was voided, leading to an awkward situation where Knecht returns to LA and Williams heads back to Charlotte. The Hornets, trying to manage the situation, released a statement welcoming Williams back and stating that “the other team” presented them with such an irresistible offer they had to accept.