Adam Silver announces the Charlotte Hornets have not formally protested the failed Mark Williams trade

It seems as if the drama shrouding the Charlotte Hornets, the Los Angeles Lakers, Mark Williams, and Dalton Knecht, is coming to an end.

At his annual NBA All-Star Weekend media availability, league commissioner Adam Silver said that the Charlotte Hornets have not filed a formal protest in the wake of the rescinded Mark Williams trade with the Los Angeles Lakers.

"Charlotte has not filed a protest of any kind. I think the larger issue is if there is a different standard of sort in terms of players passing physicals in trades...It's something we should look at as a league."

Adam Silver confirms that the Hornets haven’t filed a protest on the Mark Williams trade with the Lakers:

“No. Charlotte has not filed a protest of any kind. I think the larger issue is if there is a different standard of sort in terms of players passing physicals in trades.…
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) February 16, 2025

If this signals the end of the saga, it is likely that Williams will return to the Hornets' starting line up when they suit up after the All-Star break. Ironically enough, their maiden post-All-Star contest will be in Los Angeles against none other than the Lakers.

According to Jovan Buha of the Athletic, the Lakers' independent medical evaluation didn't find any information that precluded Williams from playing and contributing in 2025. Their main concerns revolved around the 7'2" center's long-term health; an understandable worry for a franchise that paid a king's ransom to acquire Mark Williams before the failed physical.

His clean bill of current health combined with the Hornets' sterling statement in which they said "we are thrilled to see him (Williams) rejoin our roster as a dynamic presence at the starting center position," open the door for the third-year big-man to play upon the final resolution of this seemingly never-ending saga.

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