During the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Charlotte Hornets have traded center Mark Williams to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for the 29th overall pick and a 2029 first-round selection.
Williams, coming off a breakout junior year in Charlotte, averaged 15.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in just 26.6 minutes per game. For Phoenix, the move marks a much-needed shift in roster construction, finally addressing their most glaring need: a true center who can rebound and defend the interior.
But if there’s one team that truly lost this trade, it’s not either of the two involved. It’s the Los Angeles Lakers.
Lakers better hope Mark Williams doesn't pan out for Suns
After trading Anthony Davis for Luka Dončić mid-season, the Lakers made a strong push to acquire Williams at the Feb. 6 trade deadline. The deal would’ve sent rookie Dalton Knecht to Charlotte. However, a failed physical and subsequent confusion led to a rare outcome in modern NBA history: the trade was rescinded.
Now, Williams heads to Phoenix with a prime opportunity — and a bigger role. As he’s expected to become the starting center for the Suns in 2025-2026, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka may end up regretting the decision not to push the trade through more aggressively.
Health remains the only real concern for Williams, who has logged just 106 total games in his first three NBA seasons due to recurring foot and back issues. But when available, his impact is clear—offering size, timing, and low-post presence that Phoenix has lacked since the departure of Deandre Ayton, and now Kevin Durant.
With a projected starting five built around Jalen Green and Devin Booker, the Suns are trying to stay relevant in the Western Conference shuffle. Key role players like Dillon Brooks, Ryan Dunn, Grayson Allen, and No. 10 pick Khaman Maluach offer support, but Phoenix still feels one trade away from true contender status.
This deal might not have made the biggest splash on draft night, but don’t be surprised if it quietly becomes one of the most impactful moves of the offseason.