NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recently addressed the complexities surrounding the rescinded trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Charlotte Hornets. The trade, which would have seen Mark Williams move to the Lakers, was nullified after Williams failed his physical. Silver clarified that there had been no formal protest from the Charlotte Hornets regarding the rescinded trade.
“The answer to your first question is no, Charlotte has not filed a protest of any kind,” Silver confirmed to reporters. Silver recognized that while the issue of a player failing a physical due to health concerns is rare, it highlights the subjective nature of medical evaluations in trades. “I can’t even remember, and certainly, I don’t think in my tenure a trade has ever-there’s never been a challenge because a player has failed a physical, but almost by definition, you get into a certain level of subjectivity in where that standard is,” Silver explained.
Additionally, Silver expressed concern about the disruptive impact such trade reversals can have on players and teams. Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish had to return to the Lakers, while Williams was sent back to the Hornets. “I am sure it’s equally disruptive to think you have been traded then not to have been traded,
