The Los Angeles Lakers have a new issue after the trade deadline. The trade with the Charlotte Hornets that sent center Mark Williams to the Lakers in exchange for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and a first-round pick has been canceled.
The reason for this was Williams failing his physical exam. Charania reported that the medical check showed “multiple issues” that the Lakers were not aware of, which caused the trade to fall through. The problems found were not related to Williams’ existing back issues, which the Lakers knew about before the trade. The exact details of the new issues haven’t been made public.
Since the trade deadline has passed, the deal cannot be modified, so Williams will return to the Hornets, and Knecht and Reddish will go back to the Lakers. The Hornets released a statement on Saturday, saying they are happy to have Williams back and that his return strengthens their team.
The Lakers are now left with only Jaxson Hayes and Christian Wood as centers, unless they sign a free agent. This change is significant for the Lakers, who had hoped to improve their center position after trading for Luka Doncic.
LeBron James and Cam Reddish in the 1st halfWilliams had been performing well with the Hornets, averaging 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game in 23 games this season. The Lakers now also have a crowded guard position with Knecht returning. Along with Doncic and Knecht, they have Austin Reaves and Gabe Vincent, so the Lakers will need to find consistent playing time for these guards.
Reaves scored a career-high 45 points in Saturday’s win over the Indiana Pacers, a game where both Doncic and LeBron James were absent. The Lakers’ plans for the rest of the season will likely change, as the trade they had counted on did not go through.
