Jan 29, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Injured Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (5) reacts to a call during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Charlotte Hornets' contract decision that would turn heads around the NBA

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 1:20 PM ET

There are many moves the Charlotte Hornets could make this offseason, but it's unlikely that they'll be involved in some massive blockbuster where they either send a star player out or bring one into the mix.

The one move the Hornets could make that would turn heads around the NBA would be extending center Mark Williams, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Williams is extension-eligible, and almost no one is expecting or predicting the Hornets' front office to strike up a deal with him this summer.

Instead, the assumption is that Charlotte will sniff around for another trade, although they won't get the same return they nearly got from the Los Angeles Lakers back at the trade deadline. His return had to create some sort of an awkward relationship between the two sides.

Williams was pretty honest about his future in Charlotte when asked if he thought he'd be back next season.

“Do I think so?" he chuckled. "I mean, I think. I think with the whole situation, it's given me a new perspective on understanding it's a business, understanding it’s the NBA, so I can't say a 100 percent yes, but obviously there's a chance of that. Good chance of that. But like I said, I didn't think I was getting traded the first time. So yeah, I’ll just leave it at that.”

Signing Williams to an extension would mean one thing - the Hornets truly didn't shop him at the deadline, and they had an offer come across their desk that they just couldn't simply refuse. Instead of playing things out, getting a deal done now would restore that relationship as it would show the organization has trust in him being their center of the future.

Financially, it's not a smart move, especially because of his medical history. He did appear in 44 games this past season, but the fact that it's the most he's played in a single season is alarming.

Playing it out, however, is probably what will happen.