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[Saba Sports News] The Los Angeles Lakers thought they had their new starting center at the trade deadline—but instead, they ended up with an awkward locker room situation.
On Wednesday, the Lakers agreed to a deal with the Charlotte Hornets to acquire big man Mark Williams in exchange for a package centered around Dalton Knecht.
Williams was set to fill the void left by Anthony Davis. However, the trade was shockingly rescinded on Saturday after the Lakers’ medical staff flagged “multiple issues” during Williams’ physical.
With the trade deadline already passed, there’s no chance to renegotiate, leaving both teams stuck with their original rosters.
Fans on X couldn’t resist joking about Knecht giving Lakers GM Rob Pelinka the stink eye when he returns to Crypto.com Arena. Knecht, who has had a solid rookie season (averaging 9.4 points and 3.1 rebounds on 46.5% shooting), now faces an awkward return to a team that just tried to trade him.
The Lakers originally pursued Williams to fit alongside Luka Doncic, who reportedly wanted a center with his skill set. Now, Doncic will have to wait until the offseason for the Lakers to find their big man of the future.