Lakers and Hornets Cancel Williams Deal… Simmons Prepares to Join Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers confirmed the cancellation of the deal to acquire Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets after the center failed his medical examination, according to reports. Meanwhile, Australian Ben Simmons is preparing for a move to the city’s other team, the Clippers.
The Lakers had initially signed Williams (23 years old, 2.13 meters) to bolster their lineup after the departure of star Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in a blockbuster trade for Slovenian Luka Dončić.
The Lakers traded rookie Dalton Knecth and Cam Reddish to Charlotte in exchange for Williams, only for both teams to announce the cancellation of the deal on Saturday.
The Lakers issued a brief statement, saying: “The trade between Charlotte Hornets and Los Angeles Lakers has been canceled due to the failure to meet one of the trade conditions.”
For its part, the Hornets expressed their happiness in welcoming Williams back to the team: “We made the difficult decision to move him. We have always respected Mark’s talent, work ethic, and character.”
They added: “We are pleased to see him back on our roster.”
According to ESPN, the deal was called off after Williams underwent a medical examination by the Lakers, which revealed “multiple issues,” preventing him from compensating for the departure of Davis, especially since the trade failed after the transfer window had closed.
Brooklyn Nets waived their Australian star Ben Simmons on Saturday, allowing him the opportunity to join the Los Angeles Clippers as a free agent, according to media reports.
The 28-year-old Simmons, who has started only 69 games over the past four seasons, has been struggling with back injuries since joining the Nets in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers, after missing the entire 2021-2022 season.
Simmons’ averages are 6.2 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game over 33 games played with Brooklyn this season. He has made 54.7% of his shots.
His career averages are 13.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.5 steals in 365 NBA games, with his rookie season being the best of his four years in Philadelphia.
According to multiple reports, Simmons’ contract buyout will free him up as soon as he receives the waivers, and he is expected to sign with the Clippers.
Simmons, who was traded to Brooklyn in the deal that sent James Harden to Philadelphia in the 2022-2023 season, will once again team up with Harden at the Clippers, who are looking to strengthen their squad after trading Terance Mann to the Atlanta Hawks in a deal that brought Serbian Bogdan Bogdanović to Los Angeles.
The Clippers are ranked seventh in the Western Conference with 28 wins and 23 losses.
