Hornets’ Trade with Lakers Collapses Just Before Pistons Matchup
The Detroit Pistons will face a Hornets team without Cam Reddish and Dalton Knecht after a surprising trade failure. The NBA witnessed an unexpected twist on Saturday night when the Charlotte Hornets learned their trade deal, involving standout center Mark Williams, would not go through ahead of their Sunday game against the Pistons.
With the trade deadline approaching on Thursday, the Hornets had agreed to send Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers to join LeBron James and Luka Doncic. However, ESPN reported that the Lakers discovered “multiple issues” with Williams’ physical, leading them to cancel the trade.
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
In the lead-up to Sunday’s game, Charlotte’s injury report included Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish, both of whom were expected to make their debuts with the Hornets. Instead, the two will return to Los Angeles, while the Hornets issued a statement welcoming back Williams, a 23-year-old former first-round pick.
“After the other team aggressively pursued Mark, we made the difficult decision to move him,” the Hornets’ statement read. “We have always respected Mark’s talent, work ethic, and character. We’re thrilled to have him back as a dynamic force at center, and his return strengthens our team both on and off the court.”
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 9, 2025
The Hornets will not see two new players joining the roster on Sunday and will still be missing several key players, including Josh Green, Tre Mann, Brandon Miller, Josh Okogie, and Grant Williams. Jusuf Nurkic and Nick Smith Jr. are listed as questionable.
The Pistons and Hornets are set to tip-off at 1 PM ET.
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