LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers called off their trade to acquire center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets after he did not pass his physical examination, as confirmed by a source familiar with the situation. This individual requested to remain anonymous since the Lakers had no intention of making an official statement regarding the deal’s cancellation.
Originally, the Lakers had reached an agreement to trade rookie Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish, alongside some draft considerations, to land the 23-year-old Williams, a former first-round draft pick in his third professional season. The Lakers are currently in need of a solid big man following the trade of Anthony Davis to Dallas, where he was dealt alongside Max Christie in exchange for the star player Luka Doncic.
The trade would have also seen Charlotte receive a first-round pick from the Lakers in 2031, along with a first-round pick swap in 2030. However, after gaining more insights into Williams’ medical history, the Lakers chose to terminate the trade. Williams has faced numerous injuries and has only participated in 84 of a possible 212 games over his three-season career mainly due to back issues and other health concerns.
In a statement shared on social media, the Hornets expressed their enthusiasm about retaining Williams, saying, “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.”
Initially, the Lakers appeared confident in the acquisition, with general manager Rob Pelinka indicating there were no immediate concerns about the trade. Head coach JJ Redick, who has a relationship with Williams from their shared Duke University background, expressed his optimism, stating, “Just feel like he’s a really good fit now, and he’s a really good fit for the future.”
The cancellation of this trade adds another layer of instability to the Lakers’ roster, which has been undergoing rapid changes despite a recent successful run where they have won five consecutive games and 11 of their last 13. Earlier that same day, they secured a 124-117 victory against Indiana, even in the absence of stars LeBron James and Doncic.
With this trade falling through, the Lakers find themselves without a reliable big man to play alongside Jaxson Hayes, who was poised to move to a backup role with the expected arrival of Williams. In the match against the Pacers, their backup center was 6-foot-10 Trey Jemison III, who joined the team a mere four weeks prior and has bounced around four different teams in the last two seasons.
Looking ahead, the buyout market for veteran big men does not seem very promising, and the Lakers have also lost the roster spot created by trading away two players. However, help could eventually come from within the team. Christian Wood has yet to play this season after undergoing knee surgery in September. While no recent updates have been released, it was anticipated that he wouldn’t miss the entire season.
Jemison and another backup big man, Christian Koloko, are currently on two-way contracts, rendering them ineligible for playoff action. Additionally, the Lakers are now short on wing players following the departures of Knecht and Reddick, both of whom had limited playing time this season. Knecht, known for his shooting capabilities, notably scored 37 points with nine three-pointers earlier this season but faced obstacles with inconsistency on defense.
