Rescinded Mark Williams trade: Could it be a blessing in disguise for the Hornets?

Could the Hornets come out better for having Mark Williams?

Feb 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (5) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) during the third quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images / Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

In an alternate reality, Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Mark Williams all teamed up to throttle the Charlotte Hornets last night. Instead, it was Williams, LaMelo Ball, and Miles Bridges who guided the Hornets to a shocking road upset over the Los Angeles Lakers.

This is all a reality because the Lakers rescinded the trade for Williams. They sent Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and a 2031 first-round pick for Williams. They eventually failed the physical, though reports indicated that it's not because Williams is unhealthy now but that the Lakers are concerned for the long-term health of the player.

Feb 4, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht (4) dunks for the basket against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Reason aside, the Lakers pulled the rug out from under the Hornets and changed the trajectory of Charlotte's rebuild. They're now 1-0 with Williams back in the fold, and they beat the Lakers no less. Could the rescinded trade end up being a blessing in disguise?

It's hard to say the Hornets will be better off now that they don't have a haul of Lakers assets. Their future was made brighter by getting a rookie player (albeit one that is a little older than Williams) and a first-round pick. That much is true.

It is not hard to say that the Hornets will be fine without the trade, though. They may still trade Williams for a lesser package in the summer, but if not, they still have a promising young big man. Williams is only 23. He could very well be a core building block.

He's also an ideal player next to LaMelo Ball. The center is very tall and is a great lob threat. He rebounds well, too. Williams is a good player, so it's not as if the Hornets had briefly swindled the Lakers for a bad player worth nothing. They still have one of the more talented young centers in basketball.

It's a shame the trade didn't go through because it signified a true rebuild. A 2031 first-round pick is valuable, but the Hornets won't use that for six more years. They were building up the future perhaps like the Oklahoma City Thunder did in stockpiling assets. That plan took a hit, but they do still have a player who can absolutely be part of the future.

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