TRADE: Hornets send Mark Williams to Lakers for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish and picks
The Charlotte Hornets made a bold move, sending Mark Williams to the Lakers for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and future draft picks. Did they win the trade, and how does this shake up their future at the center position?
The Charlotte Hornets pulled off a major trade, sending Mark Williams to the Lakers in exchange for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and a valuable unprotected first-round pick in 2031. The move signals a shift in team-building philosophy, as Charlotte prioritizes assets over patience with young players. While some fans are disappointed to see Williams go, his defensive struggles and lingering injury concerns made this a sell-high opportunity.
Dalton Knecht, a 2024 first-rounder, brings much-needed shooting but has questions on the defensive end. Cam Reddish, a former top prospect, has struggled to find a stable role but offers intriguing upside. More importantly, the Hornets continue stockpiling picks, now holding multiple first-rounders that could be leveraged in future deals.
What does this trade say about the team’s direction? Are the Hornets setting themselves up for a bigger move, or is this just another step in a long rebuild? We break down the reasoning behind the deal, the impact on LaMelo Ball, and whether this signals a full-scale teardown. Plus, with both Mark Williams and Nick Richards gone, who will start at center for Charlotte?
It’s a new era for the Hornets—whether that’s good or bad depends on what they do next.
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35 Comments
this trade wont age well, big if but if he stays healthy William will be a force top 5 center
man i had to cool off a bit after this one. All we did was give lakers another boost at a ring, i had knecht at 6 for us in 2024 nba draft, we take salaun, its fine, because we absolutely fleeced the first rounders. Lakers hella overpaid, so im cool with it, but Mark williams is gonna be a demon for lakers.
i also assume they posted this before the nurkic deal went through, so i knew we would have a center come in, but i just valued mark williams so much more. He is coming off a back injury, with a fully depleted team, like we pass on duren for mark, should detroit trade away duren because hes struggling. Like lets fix the analysis, Mark williams is a 5 star center when hes on a good team, with passing and chemistry and communication and depth, and hes like a 2 star on teams like the hornets. Im telling you hes gonna "all of a sudden" look way better on the lakers and then everyone is gonna say, " well where was that on the hornets". Like its there right now in the games, but the product around him is so bad, and our defensive schemes are so bad that it make him look shit.
So ultimately moving mark was objectively a good thing only because the draft picks we got in return. If we fail on Flagg next draft, its fine, because this is the first time we dont have any money tied up in shit contracts, we can actually sign players we like for the first time and not rely on being the feeder team who takes on bad contracts for the entire nba, like we are some nba welfare office taking everyones bad contracts and never recovering or benefiting from doing it.
Mark Williams was surrounded by some of the worst perimeter defenders in the NBA and not just in 1 season I’m talking in a 5 year span. It was that bad… look at some of the defensive numbers. With the Lakers they will actually try to win games and attempt to scheme to get key stops. Also they’ll play with leads and not just down by 9 in the 2nd quarter every single day. It’ll look different lol
dalton can shoot but he's going to get picked on on defense every time he's in.
Luca will still be in his Prime, so there won’t be a pick swap and the first round pick is basically a 2nd round pick since it will be so late in the draft. Knect is the only real acquisition
Take care of DK guys hes a good player and a pure hooper, no jus shooter
LET’S GO!!!!!!
Dalton gonna shoot a lot of shots
God Mitch kupchak was so bad. He just never did anything ever
We missed out on years of getting first round picks bc of sleepy Mitch
Really liked Mark. I can only hope they got plan. And I think they do for once
Martin out? Nurkic in?
We should have drafted dalton kept Mark Williams and this be the line up. Now we got a guy in Tijuane that I don’t see fitting no more
We should have drafted dalton kept Mark Williams and this be the line up. Now we got a guy in Tijuane that I don’t see fitting no more. Mark will be better because he will play with better players
Easy to be lazy on defense when you aren't winning. What you guys have like 12 wins? I would not bust my ass either.
im a laker fan and you guys are pretty good i will be subscribing good breakdown
Dang as a lakers fan yall making it seem like we traded for Celtics shaq or sum😂😂
Dalton doesn’t play any D right now. You’ll find out he’s barely playable on that end currently. The swap will probably be useless. The 2031 pick will probably be late 20s. Congrats on the “haul” 😂
Thanks for you honesty on Williams! Long time laker fan dropping in to get a real scouting report
DK is a solid player. With the right progression he can be a really good offensive player, but defensively this man is a cone.
I love this cleaning house mentality. It's LOOOOONNNNNNG overdue.
Yall complaining about no centers? Bro we have no wins like what 😂
I thought DC is a center too but he's just Sg, how about cam red, is he waive?
Plenty of room for a shooter who doesn’t play fence in the nba. 0 room for. 7’1 dude who can’t block shots or shoot
People that keep saying the lakers is a bad defensive team didn't watch the last 10 games and didn't watch the games against the Knicks and the one against the Clippers.
I like Mark but he kind of quit his last game. I knew he was gonna go
Mark Williams will be fine on the Lakers. There are like 10 centers that will give him problems. He won't be on an island. Lebron will always lurk around in the paint. He will be a short term solution
Stop being so nice to the Lakers and say Hornets robbed the Lakers haha
In a better defensive systen in LA, mark williams will be anchor. I dont think hornets ever ranked top 10 in defense in the last 5yrs. LA has great perimeter defenders even without AD they've held knicks, celtics, clippers amd warriors with stifling defense..small ball. Mark would only be needed to rebound and deflect shot attempts..
Are you guys part of the same company or you just jocking locked on Lakers nuts?
Struggling on the hornets? Bro are you smoking crack or you just hating cuz he's now with a better franchise called the Lakers lol
He was a key piece when he was on your team and now it's a relief when he comes to the Lakers haha
Your franchise didn't have a excellent stay that could actually improve his defense. I guarantee he plays better all around specially defensively with the Lakers
What a crap move. Good job Lakers.
Clearly they havent watched the Lakers. Theyve been pretty good defensively for a while now. Theyre cooking.