The Los Angeles Lakers automatically won the trade deadline when they acquired Luka Doncic in a deal that sent shockwaves around the league. Losing Anthony Davis was tough, but it was a no-brainer move that the Lakers would do a million times over.
Rob Pelinka decided LA wouldn't stop at trading for Luka, and pulled off yet another surprise move by sending Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 pick swap, and a 2031 unprotected first-round pick to the Hornets for Mark Williams. Most agreed that the trade raised the Lakers' ceiling even more, but there were questions about the center's injury history.
Everyone already knows the story — Williams never officially became a Laker. LA rescinded the trade because the center reportedly failed his physical exam in Los Angeles. Williams' agent, Jeff Schwartz, said that after "conferring with multiple, nationally recognized doctors" the "Lakers should not have failed Mark Williams on his physical."
Regardless of the details behind the rescinded trade, Williams returned to Charlotte. Since then, he's played in six games, recording a double-double in all but two contests. The Hornets picked up his $6.3 million team option for 2025-26, and he'll be eligible for an extension this summer. If Williams doesn't sign a new deal, he'll enter restricted free agency in 2026.
HoopsHype's Michael Scotto wrote on Monday that Williams "will be another name to watch this summer" because of his extension eligibility. It's already been made clear that Charlotte is willing to move on from the No. 15 pick in the 2022 draft.
Mark Williams could be traded (for real this time) during the offseason
Scotto also reported that executives said LaMelo Ball is one of the stars they'll monitor this summer. The Hornets have consistently been one of the worst teams in the NBA, and could finally decide to undergo a full rebuild this summer, building around Brandon Miller.
Williams could be one of a couple of Hornets players who get moved. There's no doubt he'd garner interest as long as he can stay healthy for the rest of the season, even after the whole debacle with the Lakers. Williams is still young and could be a key piece for a winning team, which is what everyone thought he'd be in LA.
As fun as it would've been to watch Williams and Doncic play together on the Lakers, the rescinded trade was a blessing in disguise for LA because of the high price the front office (nearly) paid.