The Los Angeles Lakers have called off their trade with the Charlotte Hornets involving center Mark Williams, the team confirmed on Saturday, Feb. 8. According to multiple reports, the decision was made after Williams’ physical with the Lakers revealed multiple concerns.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that “Williams’ physical with the Lakers showed multiple issues and the team failed him on the exam.” However, Charania emphasized that the back injury, which caused Williams to miss 63 games last season, was not the reason he failed the physical.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne also shared that after a “thorough” evaluation, the Lakers were not confident in Williams’ health. She noted, “Teams do not like to cancel trades, especially those as significant as the Lakers-Charlotte trade for Mark Williams-Dalton Knecht. But LA gave up a lot to get Williams, they needed to feel confident he’d be healthy enough to be their starting center for the next 5-10 years. After a “thorough” evaluation of his health, they were not.”
The Lakers had agreed to trade rookie sharpshooter Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick, and a 2030 pick swap to acquire Williams, whom they believed could be their center of the future.
The Athletic’s Fred Katz clarified that “if a player fails a physical before the trade deadline, then the two teams can amend the trade (like with Caleb Martin recently) to make it work.” However, because the trade deadline had passed, amending the deal was no longer possible. Katz added, “If it’s after the deadline, then the team either needs to let the trade go through as is or can rescind it. No amending.”
Lakers Face Center Crisis
With the deal off, the Lakers are left in a difficult position. Their only legitimate center on the roster is Jaxson Hayes, following the trade of Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic. Hayes’ backups, Christian Koloko and Trey Jemison III, are on two-way contracts, meaning they’re not eligible for playoff inclusion. Christian Wood, another center on a standard contract, has yet to return from knee surgery, and there is no clear timetable for his recovery.
Now, with Knecht and Reddish back on the roster, the Lakers cannot pursue a center from the buyout or free-agent market.
Luka’s Lob Partner on Hold
According to Shelburne, Doncic was a key factor in the Lakers’ trade pursuit of Williams. “Lakers had been looking for a big but once they got Luka this week, they knew exactly what kind of big they wanted,” Shelburne reported via X. “From what I’ve heard, in Luka’s initial basketball conversations he told Lakers GM Rob Pelinka he played best when he had a vertical lob threat. When Charlotte called saying they liked Knecht and might be willing to discuss Mark Williams, the deal came into place…”
Shelburne also mentioned that the Lakers had previously considered older, slower big men but switched their focus after hearing how Doncic thrived with vertical lob threats in Dallas. “When Luka explained how much playing with Lively and Gafford opened things up for him in Dallas, LA felt like this was the move that would give them a shot this year and beyond,” she added.
Now, the Lakers will need to wait until the offseason to find Doncic’s ideal lob partner.
