Mark Williams doesn’t buy Lakers’ reason for rescinded trade: ‘They had second thoughts’

Mark Williams doesn’t believe that a failed physical exam was the reason the Los Angeles Lakers stunningly rescinded a trade that would’ve brought him from the Charlotte Hornets to L.A. in exchange for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish and draft capital earlier this month. 

Instead, he believes the Lakers backed out because they had buyer’s remorse. 

“I don’t know if, for them, it was what they gave up, or what went into that,” Williams said following his first game back with Charlotte on Wednesday, which happened to be a 100-97 win over the Lakers. “But I don’t think it was solely because of my physical. I’ve been playing all year, and I think my minutes and my production on the court speaks for itself.”

When asked by FOX Sports if he thinks the Lakers simply had regrets, Williams shrugged. 

“I think that’s a question for them, not for me,” Williams told FOX Sports. “I was initially excited for the opportunity. I felt like I could have contributed for them. But, obviously, they had second thoughts.”

The 23-year-old Williams has only played in 86 games since he was selected by the Hornets as the 15th overall pick in the 2022 draft. A back problem sidelined him for all but 19 games last season, and a strained tendon in his left foot that he suffered in September kept him out this season until Dec. 3. 

But Williams says there’s no way he should’ve failed the physical. 

“I think it’s important to realize games I haven’t played, like my rookie year, it’s not like I was hurt, I was just in the G League,” Williams told FOX Sports. “And last year was the long-term injury with my back, which I’ve been 100 percent [since] — and even the Lakers said that. So, I think noting that, I’ve been healthy and every time I’ve been hurt it’s been stated. And I’ve been 100 percent since.”

Williams’ agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management, seconded Williams’ assessment, telling ESPN on Thursday, “The overwhelming sentiment, after conferring with multiple, nationally recognized doctors, is that the Los Angeles Lakers should not have failed Mark Williams on his physical.”

This season, Williams has averaged 15.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 blocks in 21 minutes a game. In two of his final three games with the Hornets before the Feb. 6 trade, he had at least 20 points and 14 rebounds. 

The Lakers looked at Williams as a young and exciting prospect who could help them plug their glaring hole at center, which was exacerbated earlier this month when they sent Anthony Davis to Dallas in a deal to acquire Luka Doncic.   

The Lakers gave up a lot to acquire Williams, including the 23-year-old Knecht, who is considered a rising star within the organization, as well as a first-round pick. But it was clear that the Lakers needed to bolster their roster down low, and surround LeBron James and Doncic with the proper pieces to compete for a championship. 

As for Williams, he was at a hotel in Los Angeles when he heard that the Lakers rescinded the trade a mere 48 hours later. 

His reaction? 

“Shocked,” Williams told FOX Sports. “I didn’t think there was any possibility of me failing my physical. Every time I’ve been out, it’s been documented.” 

Williams says he didn’t ask the Lakers why he failed.

“It was more like denial,” Williams told FOX Sports. “I was like, I don’t believe it. I was like, there’s no way, like, God.”

The rescinded deal put both teams and all players involved in an awkward position. In a statement, the Hornets said that they were “excited to welcome Mark back,” adding that the Lakers had “aggressively pursued Mark.” ESPN reported that the Hornets were exploring options to challenge the Lakers’ medical evaluation. 

NBA commissioner Adam Silver, however, said during All-Star weekend that the Hornets hadn’t yet filed an appeal. Silver went on to question whether the NBA should change their policy around such situations.

“The larger issue reflected in your question, in this day and age in sports science, is there a different standard of sorts that we should be applying in terms of players passing physicals in trades,” Silver said Saturday in San Francisco. “It’s something we should look at as a league,”

A trade being spiked because of a failed physical is rare, but it’s not unprecedented. The Oklahoma City Thunder failed Tyson Chandler’s physical following a trade in 2009. And in 2016, the Detroit Pistons did the same thing with Donatas Motiejunas.

When asked how Williams has handled the ordeal, Hornets coach Charles Lee didn’t hesitate. 

“Like the high-character individual that he is,” Lee said. “I think he’s come back even more focused, even more hungry. It has been a seamless transition back with the group because he has built so many deep bonds and he’s done so many great things on and off the court for our team and our organization.”

Still, it has been a dizzying experience for Williams. 

Williams told FOX Sports that he spoke to a couple of Lakers players after the trade happened. He added that he hadn’t spoken to LeBron James or Luka Doncic. 

After Wednesday’s game, James was asked what it was like playing against his would-be teammate. 

“He was never a teammate,” James said. “He never stepped into the locker room. He never came [in]. We never seen him. We know the trade went down, but we never seen him. So when it got rescinded, it was just back to what it was before. So it was no different.

Williams saw James’ skills up close and personal Wednesday, with James dunking on him in the fourth quarter to tie the score at 80-80 with 6:46 left. But the Hornets pulled off the win, and, for Williams, that was all that mattered. 

“I’m not really worried about getting dunked on,” Williams told FOX Sports. “I’m going to contest every shot and make the right play and hope that we win the game — and that’s what we were able to do.”

Now, Williams is focusing on his future. 

He was in the national spotlight for weeks following one of the most bizarre happenings of this season. 

And he’s ready to just play basketball and keep showing the world what he can do. 

“Just continue to play games,” Williams told FOX Sports. “I don’t think there’s anything else. It’s done now.”

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.

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