The Los Angeles Lakers have rescinded the trade to acquire Charlotte Hornets big man Mark Williams after he failed the team’s physical, per Shams Charania. The trade, widely seen as a massive win for the Lakers who had the intention of pairing Williams with newly acquired superstar Luka Doncic, won’t go through due to what the Lakers officially say is a “failure to satisfy a condition of the trade” on the Hornets‘ part.
The Lakers had traded Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a first-round swap in 2030 and an unprotected first-round pick in 2031 to the Hornets in exchange for Williams, but, per Charania, “multiple issues” showed up on Williams’ physical that caused the team to pull an UNO reverse on the deal.
“We are excited to welcome Mark back to our Hornets organization. After the other team aggressively pursued Mark, we made the difficult decision to move him. We have always held great respect for Mark’s talent, work ethic, and character. We are thrilled to see him rejoin our roster as a dynamic presence at the starting center position. His return strengthens our team, and we look forward to the impact he will make on and off the court.”
This is a rare situation, because had Williams’ failed physical happened prior to the expiration of the trade deadline, the deal could’ve been amended. But since the deadline has passed, the Lakers’ only options were to either keep the deal as is, which means retaining what sounds like an injured Williams on the roster, or call the whole thing off. L.A. has opted for the latter, leaving them without an impactful starting center for the rest of the season unless they can find one on the buyout market.
