Lakers beat reporter gives Hornets 1% chance of winning Mark Williams dispute

The Charlotte Hornets head into the All-Star break with three straight losses, mounting injuries, and a disputed trade. They sent Mark Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers the night before the trade deadline, but a few days later, the Lakers rescinded it. They claimed that Williams had failed part of his physical.

The Hornets did not take it lying down, and they're currently disputing it with the NBA. Their chances of winning, according to ESPN insider Bobby Marks, are low. That's what Lakers beat reporter Jovan Buha says as well. He claims there's a "99% chance" this does not blow back on the Lakers.

Lakers beat reporter @jovanbuha on the current state of the disputed Mark Williams trade

“The Lakers are not concerned about this situation. As long as they can prove why they rescinded the trade and why they feel the way they do about his medical, they basically have a 99%… pic.twitter.com/z5ikGY1BUt
— James Plowright (@British_Buzz) February 13, 2025

Buha said, “The Lakers are not concerned about this situation. As long as they can prove why they rescinded the trade and why they feel the way they do about his medical, they basically have a 99% chance of the trade being rescinded… Could there be a penalty, like they get fined or lose a 2nd round pick. Maybe, I don’t know. They’re pretty confident about what they found being troubling."

He went on to say that the Lakers essentially didn't find any current injuries that they're concerned about. They just have some concerns about how he's going to continue progressing years from now given his prior health issues. "My assessment is if the Lakers can find an external doctor co-sign their assessment of the situation, they will be fine," Buha said.

That last statement is key. It may not be difficult for the Lakers to find an external doctor who shares their opinion, but it is probably the crucial piece of this puzzle. It also means that this is a legitimate process. Disputes like this aren't very common.

Williams has not played for the Hornets since his trade was announced, even after it was rescinded. Dalton Knecht, the primary return for Williams, did play last night for the Lakers. It's unclear if that will have any bearing on the dispute, though it's reasonable to assume that the league wouldn't allow Knecht to play if it was going to impact the result of Charlotte's challenge.

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