The Charlotte Hornets selected Mark Williams with the 15th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, but his time with the team has already come to an end as he was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this week. While this trade may not be the most shocking move the Lakers made, it surprised many fans. Despite facing injuries during his short NBA career, Williams has posted strong per-possession numbers this season. Although he might not be living up to his draft expectations, his recent trade raises questions about why Charlotte was willing to part ways with him now that he appears to be settling in.
On Thursday night, NBA on TNT reporter Jared Greenberg provided insight into the situation, reporting that the Hornets had significant concerns regarding Williams’ health. He stated, “I was told there was some concern within the four walls of the Charlotte Hornets that Mark Williams has some issues with his body, including a bad back… that back injury has prevented him from being able to get in the weight room.”
“I was told there was some concern within the four walls of the Charlotte Hornets that Mark Williams has some issues with his body, including a bad back… that back injury has prevented him from being able to get in the weight room.”
– @JaredSGreenbergpic.twitter.com/oc0U0YQVre
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 7, 2025
Greenberg added, “That back injury has prevented him from being able to get in the weight room, add strength. That has really stunted his growth.” This news raised concerns for the Lakers, who had traded several players and a 2031 unprotected first-round pick for Williams—who had already missed nearly a year due to a back contusion and tendon strain.
However, on Friday, Greenberg admitted he had received inaccurate information, stating, “I issued a report, from a reliable source, on Mark Williams being limited in the weight room due to an issue with his back. I’ve since found out that report was inaccurate – I have the highest of standards and I apologize for any info that was disseminated incorrectly.”
— Jared Greenberg (@JaredSGreenberg) February 7, 2025
Reading between the lines suggests that someone with a vested interest in the Hornets wanted to mitigate negative publicity around the deal. If Williams passed his Lakers physical, the narrative of his health issues did not align. Reporting inaccurate information is a serious issue, and it’s important to address the sourcing problems that allowed this to happen. Nevertheless, Greenberg deserves credit for owning up to his mistake when it became clear he had received faulty intel, a quality not always seen in media. As always, this serves as a reminder to critically evaluate the sources of insider information.
