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Dave McMenamin
LOS ANGELES — The Lakers mentioned Saturday evening that their commerce with the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams was rescinded, with sources telling ESPN’s Shams Charania that the 7-foot middle failed Los Angeles’ bodily examination.
That bodily confirmed a number of points, sources mentioned. It was not failed resulting from his again, nonetheless.
Williams has performed in solely 85 out of a doable 212 video games (40.1%) by his first two and a half seasons with the Hornets. Los Angeles was assured in his medicals, sources advised ESPN on the time the commerce was agreed upon.
Lakers vp of basketball operations and normal supervisor Rob Pelinka expressed confidence within the acquisition after the commerce deadline handed Thursday whereas acknowledging {that a} bodily would want to happen.
“We totally vetted his well being stuff, led by Dr. Kris Jones at UCLA Well being and Dr. Leroy Sims on our group, and he is had no surgical procedures,” Pelinka mentioned. “So these are simply components of, he is nonetheless rising into his physique. We vetted the accidents he is had, and we’re not involved about these. We could have an opportunity to have a bodily and proceed to do a deep dive and be sure that what we have talked about and seen within the [electronic medical records]. … So we’ll nonetheless have that step within the strategy of doing a full bodily earlier than the commerce turns into official.”
Lakers rookie Dalton Knecht, together with Cam Reddish, a 2030 choose swap and Los Angeles’ 2031 first-round choose, was the return going to Charlotte. The commerce was agreed to Wednesday evening and have become official on a commerce name to the league workplace Thursday after the Lakers’ 120-112 win over the Golden State Warriors.
As a result of the deadline has handed, the commerce was not allowed to be amended to account for no matter new medical info the Lakers may need found of their analysis of Williams.
In a press release Saturday evening, the Hornets mentioned they’re “excited” to welcome Williams again to the group.
“After the opposite group aggressively pursued Mark, we made the troublesome determination to maneuver him,” the Hornets mentioned. “We have now at all times held nice respect for Mark’s expertise, work ethic, and character. We’re thrilled to see him rejoin our roster as a dynamic presence on the beginning middle place. His return strengthens our group, and we sit up for the affect he’ll make on and off the court docket.”
Pelinka provided a distinct model of occasions, saying Thursday that Charlotte introduced the deal.
“This chance got here to us,” he mentioned then. “Possibly it is in some sense just like the L.A. housing market. Not each home is listed. And typically you grow to be conscious of one thing that is out there that is not available on the market. And whenever you see the right home, you are keen to go get it, even when it’s a must to be aggressive to do it. I believe that is how we seemed on the Mark Williams alternative once we opened up discussions with Charlotte.”
Williams was listed as questionable for the Lakers’ 124-117 win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. Requested earlier than the sport if Williams would play, Lakers coach JJ Redick mentioned, “The commerce continues to be pending so no reply there.”
The deal was supposed to present Los Angeles a vertical-spacing massive man to play alongside Luka Doncic whereas additionally opening a roster spot for the Lakers to pursue one other participant on the buyout market. With the commerce rescinded, the Lakers are again to fifteen rostered gamers, that means they would want to waive somebody to open up room to signal a participant. Los Angeles is $1.6 million under the second apron and can’t exceed that quantity to signal one other participant.
The deal falling by additionally means the Lakers will likely be sticking with their present middle rotation for the instant future, with Jaxson Hayes within the beginning function within the wake of the Anthony Davis-Doncic blockbuster. Behind Hayes are two-way facilities Trey Jemison III and Christian Koloko.
The opposite massive man on the roster, Christian Wood, has but to play this season after struggling a setback in his rehab from knee surgical procedure. There isn’t a formal timeline for his return.
