Well, things are going to get a little awkward after this. ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed that the trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and Charlotte Hornets, which involved primarily the swapping of SF Dalton Knecht and C Mark Williams, respectively, has been rescinded.
Charania later confirmed that Williams’ physical with the Lakers was problematic enough that he failed, though he added that Williams’ troublesome back was not why. That arguably may have made trading for him potentially worse.
Mark Williams' physical with the Lakers showed multiple issues and the team failed him on the exam, sources tell ESPN. The physical was not failed due to his back, however. https://t.co/lY4XrSIlHf
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 9, 2025
What Happens to the Los Angeles Lakers’ Playoff Chances?
While the Hornets won’t suffer much from this trade falling through, the Lakers are a different story. They have title aspirations, which were greatly aided by the acquisition of Luka Dončić. However, trading Anthony Davis for Dončić leaves a hole in the frontcourt that cannot be filled easily, to say the least.
Williams was supposed to fill that hole, even though he comes with the same warts Davis did, if not more so. The Lakers were scared off by his potential to be absent for even more games. Their reasoning is justified, but once their playoff run starts, an elephant will be in the room.
If and when the Lakers make the postseason, their starting frontcourt, when it’s healthy, will be Jaxson Hayes, Christian Wood, Christian Koloko, and Maxi Kleber. They may try playing Jarred Vanderbilt at center to fix the problem. Still, it’s fair to suggest that Nikola Jokic, Jaren Jackson Jr., and, sure enough, Davis will not have much trouble tearing through those players if the Lakers come across those teams.
Now, the Lakers will likely turn to the buyout market to see who could help most. Right now, the best options are Daniel Theis and Mo Bamba, though more names will likely emerge once the buyout deadline approaches.
Other players like former Laker Larry Nance Jr. could hit the market since the Atlanta Hawks have seemingly signaled, but there have been no indications that they will buy him out.
The Lakers will bank on Dončić and LeBron James carrying the load once they start their playoff run, but neither can play center. If they did, it wouldn’t help that much. Perhaps LA will think that the talent those two behold on their own will be enough to cover for the most significant flaw on their current roster, but their opponents will show no mercy in the playoffs.
