The trade between Mark Williams and Dalton Knecht almost happened.

LeBron James and Mark Williams (Photo by Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images)
And then, it did not go through. As the Los Angeles Lakers showed significant interest in acquiring Williams, they traded Knecht to the Hornets. Unfortunately, after failing in a number of medical tests, the Lakers refused to go through with the trade, sending Williams back to the Hornets. Now, as LeBron James and co. Faced off against the Hornets, the Mark Williams reference was inevitable.

And it became more obvious when James scored a thundering dunk over none other than Mark Williams! After the match, he was asked whether he had extra motivation to perform well against Williams. Downplaying the emotional quotient, James stated that he played the game just like a regular one.

“He was never a teammate. He never stepped into our locker room, and we never saw him,” James said. James further added, “The trade went down, but we never met him. When it got rescinded, everything just went back to normal. It was no different.”

Surely, this was quite a statement from the Lakers legend. Unfortunately, while James’ dunk on Williams was a treat to watch, the Lakers suffered a 97-100 loss to the Hornets. Coming back to the Mark Williams trade, Magic Johnson had an interesting take on the same.

Magic Johnson Feels Mark Williams Failed Trade Is A ‘Big Blow’

Lakers’ legendary athlete, Magic Johnson, is still very much concerned about his former team. If anything significant happens, Johnson is all in to give his two cents on the matter. Likewise, after the Mark Williams trade did not go through, Magic Johnson seemed to be quite saddened.

“What a big blow to the Lakers. The trade with the Hornets is rescinded due to Mark Williams’ failed physical,” Johnson stated via X.

With the Lakers struggling to find a solid footing, it remains to be seen whether the failed trade will cost them dearly.