As if the week couldn’t get any stranger, the Los Angeles Lakers and Charlotte Hornets have opted to void the trade that they made Thursday, per multiple reports.
With the 2024-25 NBA Trade Deadline approaching, the Lakers were able to acquire Hornets young center Mark Williams as time expired. Though they were valued by Los Angeles, they would be sending Charlotte a package of Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, an unprotected 2031 first-round pick, and a 2030 pick swap. It wasn’t quite a king’s ransom, but given that the trade was made to appease new arrival Luka Doncic, one could say it was a godfather offer.
As a contending team, the Lakers saw the deal as a way to increase their chances of winning a ring. As a rebuilding team, the Hornets saw it as a better way of building towards their future. It worked out for everyone, or so it seemed.
Lakers, Hornets Void Trade Deadline Deal
Despite reports that Williams was suffering from an undisclosed back injury, NBA on TNT’s Jared Greenburg recently walked back those statements.
— Jared Greenberg (@JaredSGreenberg) February 7, 2025
The reason that the trade was rescinded was because the Hornets failed to satisfy a condition of the trade, according to the Lakers.
The Lakers say the trade was rescinded because of the Hornets’ failure to satisfy a condition of the trade. pic.twitter.com/iPYU0ATxBW
— ESPN (@espn) February 9, 2025
According to ESPN insider Shams Charania, Williams failed his physical due to multiple issues. However, perhaps alluding to Greenberg’s report, he reports that none of them involved his back.
Mark Williams’ physical with the Lakers showed multiple issues and the team failed him on the exam, sources tell ESPN. The physical was not failed due to his back, however. https://t.co/lY4XrSIlHf
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 9, 2025
For now, it’s unclear what the exact problems were on his physical. The only thing that can be sure is that Knecht, Reddish, and the Lakers’ 2031 first-round pick will be back where they were a week ago. So will Williams.
What’s Next For The Lakers?
Unfortunately for L.A., they were banking on Williams to be their starting pivot following the Anthony Davis trade. Jaxson Hayes has often performed admirably but Williams is simply a superior talent at both ends. His biggest enemies at this point of his career are injuries and inconsistent effort. There may not be much they can do to prevent bad luck, but there’s a good reason to believe he would’ve been more motivated with the Lakers.
With Williams back in Charlotte, Hayes will now likely remain in the starting lineup. That doesn’t change their floor much but it lowers their ceiling. Even more problematic is that the buyout market doesn’t figure to have much to offer at center.
At least there still looks like there’s a spot for Knecht in the rotation, and perhaps Reddish. What Knecht offers as a shooter and Reddish as a defender are still useful in a post-Luka world.
© Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
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