The deal fell apart after Williams failed a physical, a person with knowledge of the physical told USA TODAY Sports. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the information. The 23-year-old Williams already has an extensive injury history. He appeared in just 43 games his rookie season, 19 last season and has made 23 appearances this season entering Saturday's games. Per ESPN's Bobby Marks, the trade – which would have sent Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap to Charlotte for Williams – "was conditional on Mark Williams and Dalton Knecht reporting and passing a physical."
The Lakers said Saturday night that their trade with the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams was rescinded, with sources telling ESPN's Shams Charania that the 7-foot center failed Los Angeles' physical exam. That physical showed multiple issues, sources said. It was not failed due to his back, however. Williams has played in only 85 out of a possible 212 games (40.1%) through his first two and a half seasons with the Hornets. Los Angeles was confident in his medicals, sources told ESPN at the time the trade was agreed upon. Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka expressed confidence in the acquisition after the trade deadline passed Thursday while acknowledging that a physical would need to occur.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been busy as of late and Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka decided to follow up his blockbuster deal for Luka Doncic by dealing rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick, and a pick swap in 2030 to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Mark Williams. Except, it sounds like that deal hasn't panned out. The trade was made just before the NBA's trade deadline on Feb. 6, but a full two days later ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the deal had been rescinded. No official word from the Lakers on what the reason is, but some reports have said that the deal falling through had to do with the Hornets failing to meet one of the conditions of the trade.That means that the big man Pelinka was after at the deadline isn't coming to town, and things could get a little awkward when Knecht and Reddish return.
