The Charlotte Hornets really thought they could smooth this over with a PR statement, huh? NBA fans aren’t buying it. What should have been a fresh start for Mark Williams turned into a full-blown disaster, and now Charlotte has to deal with the backlash—not just for the trade itself, but for how they tried to spin it afterward.

The Lakers believed they had their defensive anchor locked in, agreeing to send Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 pick swap, and a 2031 first-rounder to Charlotte for Mark Williams. On paper, the move made sense. Most of us ‘fan-approved’ too. LA needed a stronger interior defense, and he would’ve fitted well alongside LeBron and Luka.

But then? Everything unraveled. Williams took his physical, the Lakers’ medical staff found ‘red flags’, and the team failed him on the exam… Just like that, the trade collapsed, and the once hopeful star headed back home to Charlotte.

Instead of keeping it short and simple, the Hornets have put out a statement that immediately rubbed fans the wrong way: “We are excited to welcome Mark back to our Hornets organization. After the other team aggressively pursued Mark, we made the difficult decision to move him… His return strengthens our team, and we look forward to the impact he will make on and off the court.”

Hold up—“The other team aggressively pursued Mark?”

That’s not what NBA insiders remember. Fans immediately called the franchise out, pointing out that Charlotte actively shopped him around. Once the backlash started, it didn’t stop.

The Hornets’ Mark Williams Damage Control Backfires!?

Charlotte’s attempt at damage control completely flopped, and fans let them have it.

One fan didn’t hold back: “Quit lying. Y’all came to the Lakers with that trade and now trying to save face after trying to unload damaged goods.” Oof. And honestly? Hard to argue with that.

Remember the past NBA scandals, like when the Sixers got fined $3 million for hiding Jrue Holiday’s injuries before trying to trade him to the Pelicans in 2013? Could the Hornets face a similar punishment? Wouldn’t be shocking.

Another fan slammed Charlotte for trying to trade Mark Williams at all: “Y’all are pathetic. Free LaMelo and Mark. Should’ve never tried to trade him in the first place—he has potential if he gets his health together.” And they’re not wrong. When healthy, Williams dominates. This season, he averaged 15.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game before injuries slowed him down. He’s exactly the kind of player a rebuilding team should be developing, not shipping out. No wonder fans are frustrated.

One fan said it best when they questioned why the Hornets even spoke at all: “You guys could’ve just said nothing.” And it’s after they spoke, which triggered a common thread of reactions like: “Have some shame you scam artists.”

Sometimes, silence is the best option.

Look at the Blazers—they got called out for allegedly asking Damian Lillard to sit games to boost their lottery odds during the end of the 2022-23 season, but instead of digging themselves deeper, they kept quiet and let it blow over. Charlotte probably should’ve done the same, isn’t it?

And then, there’s this brutal reaction from a fan who thinks this just destroyed Charlotte’s trade reputation: “Nobody is trading with the Hornets now after this blatant bad faith trying to hide injuries from a trade partner. DUMB C—S.”

Not exactly subtle, but the frustration is real.

And honestly? They might have a point. In 2016, the Pistons backed out of a trade for Donatas Motiejunas after discovering serious injury concerns. That move strained their relationship with the Rockets and made other teams more hesitant to deal with Houston moving forward. If Charlotte just tanked its credibility as a trade partner, good luck making deals anytime soon.

So now what? Mark Williams is back in Charlotte, but let’s be real—it’s going to be awkward. The Lakers are scrambling for another big man, and the Hornets? They’re left cleaning up a mess they made themselves. One thing’s for sure—this proves once again that NBA off-court drama is just as wild as the action on the court.

What do you think?