The Hornets are not going down without a fight after the failed trade with the Lakers for Mark Williams.
The Lakers and Hornets attempted a deal before the deadline which would have 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.
However, after the deadline had passed, the news dropped that the trade was voided – a rare occurrence, reportedly due to Williams’ physical showing “multiple issues and the team failed him on the exam,” Shams says.
Now Shams is reporting that “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.”
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne also said 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 was capable of that.
The Hornets said after the failed trade on social media:
“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.”
Would have been super awkward for rising rookie Knecht to be welcomed back into the locker room in LA and Williams to Charlotte’s locker room.
Stay tuned for more information.
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