Mark Williams seemed poised to join the Los Angeles Lakers before the trade deadline, but then it all fell apart when the trade was called off. Now Williams is finally addressing the issue.
The Lakers obtained Williams through a trade executed on February 5. They traded Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish, along with an unprotected first-round selection in 2031 and swap rights for the 2030 pick, to the Charlotte Hornets for Williams. The Lakers believed they found a solution at center when they traded Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic. However, circumstances shifted.
On February 10, we found out that the Lakers had reversed the trade after their medical team discovered several problems during Williams’ physical examination.
Williams was surprised that he had not passed his physical given how well he had been performing.
“I didn’t believe I had not passed my physical.” “That never even occurred to me,” Williams stated in remarks to The Charlotte Observer. “The evening I was traded, I played a lot of minutes.” I never believed that it could be possible in any realm. Since my return at the beginning of the year, I’ve engaged in games for numerous minutes. I believe that all my injuries have been thoroughly recorded, and I’ve healed fully, returning to 100%. Therefore, I am unsure what contributed to that choice. “I believe that decision is theirs to make.”
Williams participated for 25 minutes during his Hornets’ 112-102 defeat against the Bucks on the evening he was traded. He recorded 6 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists during the match.
Williams has participated in 23 games this season, averaging 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 0.7 steals each game. He was selected as the 15th overall choice by the Hornets from Duke in 2022. He’s faced health issues and has participated in only 85 games across three seasons. Williams has faced several back problems that have hindered him from completing full seasons.
After the deal for Williams didn’t go through, the Lakers acquired Alex Len.