5 rescinded NBA trades feat. Mark Williams' failed deal to the LA Lakers

The LA Lakers acquired Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets ahead of last Thursday's NBA trade deadline. However, the Lakers rescinded the deal on Saturday after Williams had reportedly failed his physical. It was the league's first rescinded deal since 2016 when the Detroit Pistons voided a trade with the Houston Rockets.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Lakers medical team found several physical issues with Williams, so they had no other choice but to fail him. It meant that Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 pick swap and a 2031 first-round pick are heading back to Los Angeles.

However, are there other rescinded trades in NBA history? Let's look at the five most recent ones:

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Five most recent rescinded NBA trades since 1994

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# Honorable Mention - Utah rescinds trade for Rony Seikaly in 1998

The Utah Jazz tried to improve their roster for another run to the NBA Finals in 1998 by acquiring Rony Seikaly from the Orlando Magic. However, he failed to report for the Jazz, who eventually rescinded the deal. The Magic would later trade Seikaly to the New Jersey Nets.

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#1 Sean Elliott to the Rockets in 1994

The Houston Rockets acquired Sean Elliott from the Detroit Pistons in 1994 in exchange for Robert Horry and Matt Bullard. However, the Rockets rescinded the trade after Elliott had failed his physical.

Elliott would later reveal that he had issues with his kidney but continued to play for the remainder of the season. He returned to the San Antonio Spurs the next season, helping them win an NBA championship in 1999. After winning the title, he underwent a kidney transplant and resumed his career.

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#2 Danny Fortson to the Raptors in 2000

Ahead of the 2000 NBA trade deadline, the Toronto Raptors sent guard Alvin Williams and Sean Marks to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Danny Fortson. However, the Raptors rescinded the trade after Fortson had failed his physical.

The Celtics didn't reveal why Fortson's physical exam failed, but he continued to play in Boston for the rest of the season. He would get traded the next summer to the Golden State Warriors as a part of the first four-team deal in NBA history.

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#3 Tyson Chandler to the Thunder in 2010

The OKC Thunder wanted a big man who could protect the rim in 2010, surrounding a young team with a veteran center. The Thunder traded for Tyson Chandler, sending Joe Smith, Chris Wilcox and the rights to DeVon Hardin to the New Orleans Pelicans.

However, after the Thunder doctor found an issue with Chandler's toe, the trade was rescinded. Chandler would later get traded to the Charlotte Bobcats before landing with the Dallas Mavericks. He helped the Mavs win its first NBA championship in 2010, beating the Thunder in the Western Conference finals.

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#4 Donatas Motiejunas to the Pistons in 2016

The Detroit Pistons acquired Lithuanian big man Donatas Motiejunas and guard Marcus Thornton from the Houston Rockets in 2016 in exchange for Joel Anthony and a protected first-round draft pick. Thornton passed his medical, but Motiejunas had an unsatisfactory result, and the deal got rescinded.

Motiejunas would return to Houston and agree on a four-year extension. But before it got signed, he failed another physical, and the deal was voided. He ended up playing one season in New Orleans before returning to Europe. As for the Pistons, they got Tobias Harris instead from the Orlando Magic.

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#5 Mark Williams to the Lakers in 2025

The LA Lakers shocked the NBA world when they acquired Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. Doncic is a generational talent, but the Lakers needed a big man who suited his play, so the organization went for Mark Williams at the trade deadline.

However, after two days since the deal, Williams failed his physical, so the Lakers had no other choice but to cancel the trade.

Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish are back in Hollywood, but the team remains pretty thin in the frontcourt ahead of a potential postseason run.