The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly felt buyer’s remorse after trading for Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets, with one source saying the team feels like they ‘dodged a bullet.’ Luckily for them, they found a loophole, a failed medical exam would allow them to rescind the trade.
Now, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, The Hornets have been in contact with the NBA as they explore options to dispute the Lakers’ failed physical assessment of Williams.
The Lakers initially sent rookie guard Dalton Knecht, forward Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick, and a 2030 pick swap to the Hornets in return for Williams ahead of last Thursday’s trade deadline.
Charlotte Hornets Now Disputing Los Angeles Lakers Assessment
The Lakers’ trade for Mark Williams was ultimately rescinded due to concerns raised during the player’s physical examination. While the specific nature of the issues remains undisclosed, Charania reported that Williams “showed multiple issues and the team failed him on the exam.”
It’s important to note that these concerns were unrelated to Williams’ back, which has been an issue for him in recent seasons. This came out after Lakers executive Rob Pelinka said, “We fully vetted his health stuff, led by Dr. Kris Jones at UCLA Health and Dr. Leroy Sims on our team, and he’s had no surgeries. So these are just parts of, he’s still growing into his body. We vetted the injuries he’s had, and we’re not concerned about those.”
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ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne noted that the Lakers “needed to feel confident he’d be healthy enough to be their starting center for the next 5-10 years” and did not trust he could do that after the physical.
The Lakers viewed Williams as an ideal pick-and-roll partner for Luka Dončić, whom he reportedly ‘handpicked.’
While the Hornets welcomed Williams back to the team, the abrupt cancellation of the deal left them without the valuable assets and players they had acquired in the original agreement.
Furthermore, the situation created an awkward predicament for players like Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish, who were initially traded to the Hornets and then unexpectedly returned to Los Angeles.