The Phoenix Suns are trading the No. 29 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and a 2029 first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Mark Williams, a player the Los Angeles Lakers wanted to get their hands on (but decided not to) just a few months ago. Now, Williams will join Devin Booker, Jalen Green, and newly drafted Duke big man Khaman Maluach in Phoenix following their blockbuster trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are still looking to address their center problem, having ended this past season running small ball in the postseason because JJ Redick didn’t want to play Jaxson Hayes in the team’s most significant moments down the stretch of the playoffs.
The Williams trade just didn’t pan out.
Why isn’t Mark Williams on the Lakers?
Originally, the Lakers sent out Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 first-round pick, and a 2030 first-round pick swap to the Hornets in exchange for Williams. However, the deal was later rescinded just after the trade deadline due to concerns the Lakers had about Williams’ health.
At the time of the deal, the Lakers had a ton of concerns about Williams, and a bad physical was the nail in the coffin, per Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times:
“Everyone thought the Lakers had this big man this winter when [Rob] Pelinka followed Doncic’s stunning acquisition with a trade for Charlotte’s Mark Williams,” Plaschke wrote. “But then the Lakers got cold feet. They worried that they overpaid for Williams, worried that he was too immature for their smart veteran system, and eventually that worry turned a bad physical exam into a deal killer.”
Evidently, the Suns were willing to take that risk on Williams, and the Lakers, as previously mentioned, still have some work to do at the center position.
How will Mark Williams help Suns?
With Maluach, Williams, and Nick Richards, the Suns now have a solid frontcourt next to Booker, Green, and the rest of the team’s core.
Things are getting a bit too packed for the Suns at the center position, as all three of their big guys are very capable of playing rotational minutes. However, they may choose to keep their depth, as there are clearly some injury concerns surrounding Williams.
Perhaps the Lakers could reach out to the Suns and inquire about Richards, as they are still on the hunt for a center to pair alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James next season and beyond.
Until then, the Suns will be taking the chance that the Lakers decided not to.