The Charlotte Hornets are not sitting idly after the Los Angeles Lakers nixed the deadline deal between the two teams.
The Lakers and Hornets initially agreed to a trade to send center Mark Williams to Los Angeles. Full details on the original Lakers-Hornets deal can be found here.
But on Saturday, the trade was rescinded after the Lakers’ medical staff identified “multiple issues” during Williams’ physical examination.
The Hornets have reportedly been in contact with the NBA since the Lakers rescinded the deal. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Charlotte is “exploring options to dispute” the Lakers’ medical assessment of Williams.
Williams has dealt with a myriad of injuries throughout his two-and-a-half seasons in the NBA. The 23-year-old missed 102 out of 164 games in his first two years in Charlotte. A lower back injury forced him all but 19 games during his second year.
This season, the Duke product has played in fewer than half of the Hornets’ first 50 games. A foot injury kept Williams sidelined for 20 contests.
Considering the Lakers’ dire need for a center after trading away Anthony Davis, it’s hard to imagine Los Angeles would back out of the deal unless they spotted legitimate concerns with Williams’ long-term health. Fans also worried that the reneged deal would affect the vibe in the Lakers’ locker room.
The Lakers reportedly pursued Williams at Luka Doncic’s request. While the deal would have benefitted both Doncic and LeBron James, the King’s camp may not have been totally happy with how it went down.
