Hornets Challenge Lakers’ Nixing Of Mark Williams Trade, But Are Unlikely To Succeed

A week after being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Charlotte Hornets, rookie Dalton Knecht played 17 minutes and put up 10 points in Utah – for the Lakers.

The trade, which sent Knecht, Cam Reddish, and a first-round pick to Charlotte for center Mark Williams, was widely seen as tilted in the Hornets’ favor. Two days after it went through, the Lakers pulled out, claiming that Williams had failed his physical.

Williams, 23, has played just 85 games of his first three seasons due to injury. At an even seven feet, though, he promised to fill a front-court need for the Lakers, and in the games he has played this year, he has been effective. Despite the Hornets’ floundering, especially in the past month, Williams has maintained averages of 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.

The primary risk of the trade for the Lakers was always Williams’ health. The Lakers have not revealed the specific issues with the physical, but according to ESPN, the decision was based on “multiple issues,” not the back injury Williams has dealt with.

Now, the Hornets are challenging the Lakers’ decision to pull out. But it doesn’t seem likely the challenge will be successful.

“My understanding is that the Lakers are not concerned about it,” said Lakers beat writer Jovan Buha on the podcast NBA Daily.

“And that basically, as long as they can prove why they rescinded the trade and why they feel the way that they feel about his medicals, they have a 99-percent chance of the trade staying rescinded and not being reversed.”

Besides the awkwardness of the situation, though, the primary consequence of the trade is for Williams’ market value. Williams, who hits restricted free agency following this season, will now increasingly be labeled injury-prone and high-risk, which may cost him millions of dollars.

The Hornets play the Lakers on Feb. 19 in Los Angeles.