Lakers Star LeBron James’ Cold Message to Mark Williams After Epic Dunk Post-Rescinded Trade

LeBron James delivered one of the coldest dunks of his NBA career on Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams. Then he dropped a cold message to the big man who nearly became a Laker.

“[Williams] was never a teammate,” James told reporters. “He never stepped into the locker room. He never came and we’ve never seen him. The trade went down, but we’ve never seen him so, it’s just back to what it was before. So, it was no different.”

Williams became the latest victim of the 40-year-old James in his still-growing ledger of poster dunks.

Midway to the fourth quarter and the game tied at 80, James took a pass from Luka Doncic and went straight to attack the rim, hammering a thunderous dunk over Williams that rocked the Crypto.com arena.

The 7-foot Hornets center was shell-shocked as he was with the rescinded trade that would have seen him going to the Los Angeles Lakers for No. 17 pick Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap.

But the Lakers rescinded the trade because “Williams’ physical with the Lakers showed multiple issues,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Feb. 8. Charania added the issues were not related to the back injury which limited Williams to 19 games last season.

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Williams had the last laugh in this one as he helped the Hornets beat the Lakers 100-97 with a near double-double. The former Duke star had 10 points, nine rebounds and two assists in his first game since the rescinded trade.


Mark Williams Shell-Shocked

The 23-year-old Williams could not believe what happened.

“It’s crazy,” Williams said in his first public comments, per Charlotte Observer. “Your mind has to shift from you got traded, you’ve got to go to L.A. and then you’ve got to shift back from you’re not going to L.A. So, it’s definitely different.

“It’s a lot on your mind and you’ve got to take what life gives and make the most of every opportunity you’ve got.”

He was shocked when his agent, Jeff Schwartz, told him he failed the physical as he is enjoying his best season in the NBA. He had six double-doubles and two 30-point performances over his last 10 games before the Lakers traded for him.

“I didn’t think I had failed my physical,” Williams continued. “That didn’t even cross my mind. The night I got traded I played hella minutes. I didn’t think in any world that was possible. Since I’ve been back since the start of the year, I’ve played games with a lot of minutes. I feel like every injury I’ve had has been well-documented and I’ve recovered and been 100% since.

“So, I don’t know what went into that decision. I think that’s up to them.”


Mark Williams’ Agent Issues Statement on Rescinded Trade

Schwartz, the president and founder of Excel Sports Management, refuted the Lakers’ decision to fail the physical of his client.

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“The overwhelming sentiment, after conferring with multiple, nationally recognized doctors, is that the Los Angeles Lakers should not have failed Mark Williams on his physical,” Schwartz said in a statement. “Mark was ready and able to play for them and should have been given the opportunity.”

It is still unknown how this affects the Lakers’ relationship with the long-time agent, whose top clients are three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, a close friend of Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis and former Laker Malik Monk, along with past Lakers targets Jonas Valanciunas and Nick Richards.

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