Lakers, Hornets Void Big Time Trade

The reason that the trade was rescinded was because the Hornets failed to satisfy a condition of the trade, according to the Lakers.

At this time, there’s been no clarification about the what and why of the situation. Given that this is Hornets executive vice president Jeff Peterson’s first year in the role, maybe it was a rookie mistake. The only thing that can be sure is that Knecht, Reddish, and the Lakers’ 2031 first-round pick will be back where they were a week ago. So will Williams.

What’s Next For The Lakers?

Unfortunately for L.A., they were banking on Williams to be their starting pivot following the Anthony Davis trade. Jaxson Hayes has often performed admirably but Williams is simply a superior talent at both ends. His biggest enemies at this point of his career are injuries and inconsistent effort. There may not be much they can do to prevent bad luck, but there’s a good reason to believe he would’ve been more motivated with the Lakers.

With Williams back in Charlotte, Hayes will now likely remain in the starting lineup. That doesn’t change their floor much but it lowers their ceiling. Even more problematic is that the buyout market doesn’t figure to have much to offer at center.

At least there still looks like there’s a spot for Knecht in the rotation, and perhaps Reddish. What Knecht offers as a shooter and Reddish as a defender are still useful in a post-Luka world.