Mark Williams, a player for the Charlotte Hornets, has openly questioned the Los Angeles Lakers’ rationale for their abrupt decision to cancel a trade involving him. The trade was initially set to send him to L.A. in exchange for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and some draft picks.

Williams suspects the Lakers experienced buyer’s remorse rather than failing him on a physical examination as they had claimed. After the Hornets won their game against the Lakers with a score of 100-97, Williams stated, “I don’t think it was solely because of my physical. I’ve been playing all year, and I think my minutes and my production on the court speaks for itself.”

He commented that he was shocked by the trade’s cancellation and felt confident in his physical condition, claiming he never expected to fail. Williams noted, “Every time I’ve been out, it’s been documented.”

Williams’s agent, Jeff Schwartz, echoed his sentiments, stating that the consensus among medical professionals indicated that there should have been no reason for the Lakers to fail him on his physical.

The Lakers’ assessment of Williams’ potential as an exciting young player aimed at filling their center position needs came at a critical time as they had recently traded Anthony Davis to acquire Luka Doncic from Dallas.

In a surprising twist, the Lakers withdrew from the trade just two days later, leaving both teams and all players involved in a precarious situation. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver noted that the league has yet to address the policies regarding physical evaluations in trades, signaling a possible reevaluation of the standards moving forward. Charles Lee, the head coach of the Hornets, praised Williams, highlighting his resilience and character through the ordeal, and Williams expressed his eagerness to just resume playing basketball.