The Hornets don't seem to fall without a fight.
The Hornets are reportedly in contact with the league on the matter after cancelling trade from Charlotte on Saturday to buy the Mark Williams Center after the Lakers physically failed. ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Monday night.
The Hornets want to explore the NBA and options when it comes to the Lakers disputing the center's failed rating.
On the deal, Charlotte presented Williams, a third-year center and former round draft pick, while acquiring rookies Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish.
The Hornets were also scheduled to receive the Lakers' first round pick in 2031 and their first round pick swap in 2030.
“We look forward to welcoming Mark to the Hornets organization,” the Hornets wrote in a statement on social media. “After the other teams actively pursued Mark, we made the difficult decision to move him. We have always admired Mark's talent, work ethic and personality. We have , I'm excited to see him reunite with our roster and rejoin as a dynamic presence in the starting center position. His return strengthens our team and we're going to see him I look forward to the impact of coming and going to the court.”
The Lakers in the West, No. 5, apparently pumped the brakes after learning more about Williams' physical health, and he is a player with a long history of injury.
The Duke alum has only played 84 of the 212 NBA potential NBA games in three seasons that drafted him 15th overall, mainly due to back issues.
This season he averages nearly double doubles (15.6 points and 9.6 rebounds) while shooting 58% off the field in 23 contests.
There were no initial concerns about the contract, as fellow Duke alumni and Lakers coach JJ Reddick were already familiar with Williams, who went to coach for advice just a few years ago.
“He really feels like he's a perfect fit right now. He's perfect for the future,” Reddick said of Williams Thursday night.
Without the contract, the Lakers will be left without a big man to work with Jackson Hayes, who is likely to move to the bench when Williams arrives at La La Land.
However, the team has won nine of their last 10 games, and they have won five consecutive games in a Monday night matchup with the Jazz.
