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The Lakers’ Mark Williams Trade Falls Apart—What Happens Now?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nick Wright | Last updated Feb 9, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Lakers’ plans to reinforce their frontcourt just hit a massive roadblock.

On Saturday, the team officially rescinded their trade with the Charlotte Hornets for center Mark Williams after the 23-year-old failed his physical. The deal, which would have sent rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2031 unprotected first-round pick, and a 2030 pick swap to Charlotte, is now completely off the table. Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, Williams’ failed medical flagged multiple health concerns—none of which were related to his back, a known issue in his injury history.

This means everyone involved returns to their original teams. Knecht and Reddish are back on the Lakers' roster, while Williams remains with Charlotte. But for L.A., this is a major blow.

Williams was supposed to be the Lakers’ answer at center after sending Anthony Davis to Dallas for Luka Dončić. He was averaging 15.6 points and 9.6 rebounds this season, providing the kind of rim protection and lob threat that would have fit seamlessly next to Dončić and LeBron James. Now, with the trade nullified, the Lakers are back to square one in the middle. And with the trade deadline already passed, they no longer have the option to negotiate a new deal. That leaves two choices—roll with what they have or turn to the buyout market.

Without Williams, the Lakers' only true center is Jaxson Hayes, with Christian Wood still sidelined indefinitely. That’s a problem. If L.A. still wants to contend, they need an interior presence. The buyout market is now their best bet, but options are limited. Names like Bismack Biyombo or Daniel Theis could be available, but neither offers the long-term upside Williams did. On the flip side, the Lakers get Knecht back, which isn’t the worst consolation prize. The rookie has flashed serious scoring potential—including a 37-point explosion against Utah—and could still be a valuable trade asset this summer if L.A. looks to make another move.

While the Williams situation is frustrating, it doesn’t change the fact that the Lakers pulled off one of the biggest trades in recent memory, landing Dončić to be the face of the franchise moving forward. That move alone reshaped the organization, and despite this setback, L.A. is still in a much better long-term position than they were a week ago. The immediate problem? They still have a hole in the frontcourt, and if they want to make a real run in the West, they need to find a solution—fast.