While the Los Angeles Lakers‘ trade for Charlotte Hornets lob threat center Mark Williams was rescinded, the message was clear and well-received by Luka Dončić‘s camp.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Dončić’s camp was impressed how swiftly the Lakers acted on their newest star’s wish to play with vertical threat, which proved vital in the Dallas Mavericks‘ run to the finals last season.
“… there has been no tangible dismay from the Dončić camp about his new team walking away from the Williams deal. Sources told The Stein Line that Dončić, in his first discussion about roster construction with Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, told Pelinka that he understood it might take until the summer to make that addition … and came away impressed by how swiftly the Lakers initially moved to try to address that void,” Stein wrote in his Substack newsletter on Monday, Feb. 17.
The original trade saw the Lakers giving up a lot — No. 17 pick Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, 2031 unprotected first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap — for the oft-injured Williams. But the trade fell apart when the Lakers saw multiple issues on Williams’ physical not related to his back issue, which limited him to only 19 games last season.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Feb. 10 that the Hornets were in contact with the league office about their options to contest the Lakers’ decision to rescind the trade.
Adam Silver Weighs in on Lakers-Hornets Rescinded Trade
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the Hornets have yet to submit a formal request to appeal the rescinded trade but he added the controversial deal has gotten his office’s attention.
“I think the larger issue reflecting your question in this day and age of sports science is that is there a different standard of sort we should be applying in terms of players passing physicals in trades? And it’s something we should look at as a league,” Silver told reporters during the NBA All-Star Weekend.
While Silver acknowledged that this doesn’t happen often, still he would look into what they can do to avoid such a situation in the future, regardless of what “Charlotte decides to do.”
“Either way it’s gotten our attention,” Silver added. “We understand that in the back and forth of teams in trades, to the extent we can reduce uncertainty — that’s a positive thing. Obviously, I mentioned before that for players who are involved in trades, how disruptive it can be.
“I’m sure it’s equally as disruptive to think you had been traded and not to be,” Silver told reporters. [It’s] disruptive for the player, disruptive for their teammates, so we’ll look at it. I mean I’d say that’s one of those areas when it comes to the health and well-being of our players. In medical science, there have been incredible developments, and this is a rule sort of as interpreted now hasn’t changed for many decades at the league office.”
Dalton Knecht Shares Roller-Coaster of Emotions After Nixed Trade
Knecht had already rejoined the Lakers but not after skipping a game to process the crazy few days he’s had.
“It felt like a movie,” Knecht told reporters after scoring 10 points in his first game back with the Lakers since the rescinded trade. “After that game [vs Clippers], came back the next day and went to go get some shots up in the gym. Twenty free throws in, I usually always shoot 25 right before I shoot, and Rob [Pelinka] called me up there and told me the news.
“It was hard, got drafted here and LA means a lot, so hearing that and then I went over to Charlotte in the morning with one of my guys and got introduced and met all those people.
“Flew out to Detroit to what was called my debut game, to now I’m flying back to LA, and Rob called me and said you’re coming back. I was excited to just go out there and hoop no matter where I was going.”
Knecht represented the Lakers in the Rising Stars during the NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco. He produced a combined 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists in his two-night stint, including in the reformatted NBA All-Star Game.
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