The Los Angeles Lakers' trade for Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams was rescinded on Saturday, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Charania reported that Williams' physical "showed multiple issues" and the Lakers failed him on the exam, which is why the trade was voided.
ESPN's Ramona Shelburne noted that the Lakers "needed to feel confident he'd be healthy enough to be their starting center for the next 5-10 years" but did not believe that Williams would be able to do so following the physical.
Los Angeles initially agreed to acquire Williams from Charlotte in exchange for rookie Dalton Knecht, forward Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap prior to Thursday's trade deadline.
After the trade was rescinded, the Hornets released a statement saying they are excited to welcome Williams back to the team:
With the trade now voided, here's a look at L.A.'s updated depth chart and salary cap.
Lakers' Updated Roster, Salary Cap
PG: Luka Dončić, Shake Milton, Gabe Vincent
SG: Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish
SF: Rui Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith
PF: LeBron James, Jarred Vanderbilt, Markieff Morris
C: Jaxson Hayes, Trey Jemison III, Christian Koloko
With the trade voided, the Lakers have salary cap allocations totaling $199.8 million, according to Spotrac.
Williams has been plagued by health issues since the Hornets selected him with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft.
The 23-year-old appeared in just 43 games as a rookie due to an ankle sprain as well as a thumb injury that eventually required surgery. He was also limited to 19 games during the 2023-24 season due to a back injury.
Williams has played in 23 games to open his 2024-25 campaign, missing time with foot and back issues. Charania noted that his back injury wasn't the reason behind his failed physical, though.
It's disappointing for Los Angeles that the trade fell through, but the team still had a successful trade deadline. The Lakers pulled off one of the most shocking swaps in NBA history, acquiring Luka Dončić in a three-team deal involving the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz.
Knecht should also continue to thrive while playing off Dončić and LeBron James, as he averaged 9.4 points and 3.1 rebounds per game on 46.5/35.8/82.5 shooting splits to start his rookie year.
Jaxson Hayes will likely continue to operate as Los Angeles' starting center moving forward.
As the Lakers prepare for the debut of Dončić, Williams will be heading back to Charlotte.
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