Mark Williams 'Shocked' by Lakers' Rescinded Trade over Failed Physical for Injury

Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams is still dealing with a whirlwind of emotions after the trade that was supposed to send him to the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this month was rescinded due to a failed physical.

While speaking to Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer, Williams revealed that he was incredibly surprised that the Lakers' team physicians deemed him ineligible to be acquired.

"Yeah, there’s not really much I can do," Williams said. "Like I said, I’ve been playing. You went from shocked to excited, back to shocked. You control what you can control."

Williams has an extensive injury history, appearing in a combined total of just 85 games over his two-plus seasons in the NBA. He suffered a strained tendon in his left foot in September that ruled him out until Dec. 3, and he's appeared in 23 games this season while the Hornets took a cautious approach of resting him on the front- or back-end of back-to-backs. However, it still caught him off-guard when he was informed that he failed his physical with the Lakers.

"My agent told me. I didn’t think I had failed my physical. That didn’t even cross my mind," Williams said. "The night I got traded I played hella minutes. I didn’t think in any world that was possible. Since I’ve been back since the start of the year, I’ve played games with a lot of minutes. I feel like every injury I’ve had has been well-documented and I’ve recovered and been 100% since. So, I don’t know what went into that decision. I think that’s up to them."

When healthy, Williams has looked like one of the most promising young centers in the entire league. He's averaging a career-high 15.6 points while also adding 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks and shooting 58.6 percent from the field. When his trade to Los Angeles was reversed, he was welcomed back to Charlotte with open arms.

"It was seamless," Hornets coach Charles Lee said. "He’s been a big part of this thing, Day One since I’ve got the job. He’s been fully bought in, he’s been with the team in summer league, he’s made phenomenal relationships on and off the court with these guys. I think they understand who he is as a person, the character, his care factor for the game and his team. And they see the talent, what he can do on the court as well, and how much he helps affect them offensively and defensively to the positive side. So all the guys are happy to have him back. I know me and the staff are extremely excited and looking forward to continuing to build some good habits over these next 30 games."

Interestingly, Williams' first game back with the Hornets will come against the Lakers on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena, which he was expecting to be his new home. Still, he's handling the situation with grace.

"Can’t write it any other way right?” Williams said. “NBA script. It’s just what it is."