The trade deadline deal that sent Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers was rescinded on Saturday night due to "multiple issues" that came up during his physical in L.A. Three days later, Charlotte is looking for answers.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Hornets have been in contact with the NBA to "explore options to dispute the Los Angeles Lakers' failed physical assessment of Mark Williams."
"The Williams/Dalton Knecht trade was nixed Saturday," he continued. "And now Hornets weigh avenues to challenge."
The Charlotte Hornets have been in contact with the NBA as they explore options to dispute the Los Angeles Lakers' failed physical assessment of Mark Williams, sources tell ESPN. The Williams/Dalton Knecht trade was nixed Saturday, and now Hornets weigh avenues to challenge.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 11, 2025
Williams was looked upon as a potential long-term front-court answer for the Lakers after they traded Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in the Luka Doncic trade. He's averaging a career-high 15.6 points and 2.5 assists this season while also bringing in 9.6 rebounds. The 23-year-old has, however, dealt with back issues—though that reportedly wasn't the reason for his failed physical.
"We are excited to welcome Mark back to our Hornets organization," read a statement from the team following L.A.'s rescission. "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."
It's pretty difficult to believe them—considering they're now looking to dispute the failed physical and send him back to the West Coast.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Hornets Reached Out to NBA to Dispute Lakers Failed Physical of Mark Williams.
