The Los Angeles Lakers, in desperate need of a center following Anthony Davis‘ departure, zeroed in on Charlotte Hornets big man Mark Williams. The deal seemed all but finalized until the Lakers announced it had fallen through due to Williams reportedly failing his physical.
After the NBA All-Star Weekend, the Lakers faced the Hornets in a tough 97-100 loss. Williams put up 10 points and nine rebounds in the game and used the opportunity to address the controversy surrounding the nixed trade.
Williams pushed back on claims he failed the physical, asserting that he was fully healthy and ready to play. “I didn’t think I had failed my physical. That didn’t even cross my mind,” Williams said before the game, via The Charlotte Observer. “The night I got traded, I played hella minutes. I didn’t think in any world that was possible”.
“Since I’ve been back at the start of the year, I’ve played games with a lot of minutes,” Williams continued. “I feel like every injury I’ve had has been well-documented, and I’ve recovered and been 100% since. So, I don’t know what went into that decision. I think that’s up to them”.
Mark Williams #5 of the Charlotte Hornets guards Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter during their game at Spectrum Center. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
With the Williams deal off the table, the Lakers turned their attention to Sacramento Kings big man Alex Len. While Len has provided limited production this season—averaging just 1.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 7.2 minutes per game—he could still play a role in JJ Redick’s revamped second unit.
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Williams’ agent calls out the Lakers
Mark Williams’ agent, Jeff Schwartz, released a strongly worded statement criticizing the Lakers for their decision, citing the opinions of respected medical professionals.
“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,” Schwartz said. “Mark was ready and able to play for them and should have been given that opportunity”.
LeBron James comments on Williams
Following the Lakers’ narrow loss to the Hornets, LeBron James was asked about facing Williams, who was briefly expected to join the Lakers roster. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer dismissed the idea of any emotional weight to the matchup, emphasizing that Williams never officially joined the team.
“He was never a teammate,” James told reporters after the game. “He never stepped into the locker room. He never came, we never saw him. We know the trade went down, but we never saw him. It got rescinded, it just was back to what it was before, so it was no different”.
