Mark Williams Gets Candid On Rescinded Lakers Trade: "Honestly, F*** You All"

In the week of the 2025 trade deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers shocked the NBA world when they acquired Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. Shortly after the Doncic trade, the Lakers attempted to swing another trade to pair the Slovenian star with a big man who could catch lobs and protect the rim.

But that trade ended up getting rescinded. Now, as the new year dawns, that big man has some things to say about the move that was not meant to be.

"Honestly, like, f*** y'all," Mark Williams said on an episode of "The Young Man and the Three" podcast. "I felt like I was a piece, and I could really help them."

Earlier this year, Williams was suiting up for the Charlotte Hornets. On February 6, it was reported that the 7-foot-1 center out of Duke was headed to the Lakers in exchange for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and draft assets.

However, just two days later, the trade was rescinded after Williams failed his physical with the Lakers. Awkwardly, Williams made his way back to Hornets practice sessions and finished the 2024–25 campaign in Charlotte.

Though life in the NBA continued as usual for the big man till the end of that season, he did sneak in a cheeky jab at his would-be Western Conference team. "Once the Lakers lost in the playoffs, I tweeted a little smiley face. I was hating," Williams admitted.

Ironically, the Lakers could have used Williams' interior presence, as they were pummeled in the paint by the Minnesota Timberwolves. In that first-round series, Minnesota bigs like Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert took advantage of the Lakers' lack of size to help the Wolves pull off a gentleman's sweep.

Now, Williams is in the same conference as the Lakers after being traded (successfully, of course) to the Phoenix Suns in the offseason. At the moment, the Suns are looking up at the Lakers in the Western Conference standings, but if the stars align, the first round of the 2026 playoffs will feature a Suns-Lakers series.

Should that scenario come to fruition, there will be one Phoenix center with extra motivation to defeat the squad that initially showed interest but ultimately shut him out.