Lakers Insider Reveals Reasons Behind the Collapse of Mark Williams-Dalton Knecht Trade

Mark Williams’ failed physical results in Lakers trade falling apart, leaving Los Angeles to reassess its center situation as the trade deadline passes.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ trade for Mark Williams seemed almost final, but in a surprising twist, it was called off after Williams failed his physical. The trade, which would have sent Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 first-round pick swap, and a 2031 first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Williams, collapsed just before completion.

Lakers insider Jovan Buha shared details on his podcast about the events leading to the trade’s breakdown.

“I’d say it wasn’t entirely surprising given how things went in the last few days, especially with the delay in announcing the trade—it took longer than usual. And then, of course, Williams not being cleared to play today.”

“Interestingly, Williams had a locker and placard in the locker room, which stood out to me when I saw it tonight.”

“We were informed something was coming soon, but we had no clue what. I thought maybe they’d finally say, ‘Hey, all physicals are cleared, Williams is ready to play on Monday’ or something like that.”

“And then, we got word that, due to issues with the Hornets’ side of the deal, the trade was canceled. After talking to people, I learned that Williams failed his physical, which ultimately caused the trade to fall through.”

After the trade’s failure, the Charlotte Hornets issued a statement, expressing their hesitation in trading Williams initially. This statement contradicts the Lakers’ account of the situation.

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka had previously said the Hornets reached out to Los Angeles about the trade, citing their need for a center. This conflicting information raises questions about the Hornets’ true intentions in moving Williams and whether the Lakers were misled about his injury status.

Williams has had an injury-prone career, a significant concern for the Lakers. He missed the first 20 games of the 2024-25 season due to a tendon strain in his left foot, and even during his healthiest seasons, he has never played more than 43 games in a year.

However, after undergoing a physical with the Lakers, the results revealed an issue that was serious enough for the team to back out of the trade rather than take the risk on him.

With the trade now off, the Lakers find themselves in a tough spot. They had traded Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic, hoping to replace Davis’ defensive impact with Williams. Without Williams, they are left without a dependable starting center.

Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish will now return to the Lakers, though it remains uncertain how their roles will change after nearly being traded.

With the trade deadline passed, the Lakers can’t make any more trades for a center until the offseason. Their only remaining option is to look at the buyout market or sign a free agent. The Lakers had hoped that pairing Luka Doncic and LeBron James with a solid defensive center would secure a title. Now, they must find another way to fill that gap.