On Saturday night, a trade that would have transferred Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers was rescinded due to “multiple issues” identified during his physical examination in Los Angeles. Now, just three days later, Charlotte is seeking clarity on the situation.

As reported by Shams Charania from ESPN, the Hornets are in discussions with the NBA to “explore potential options to contest the failed physical assessment of Mark Williams by the Los Angeles Lakers.”

Charania noted, “The Williams/Dalton Knecht trade was halted on Saturday, and now the Hornets are considering avenues for a challenge.”

Mark Williams was viewed as a promising long-term option for the Lakers’ frontcourt after their trade of Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks as part of the Luka Doncic deal. This season, he is achieving a career-high average of 15.6 points, along with 2.5 assists and 9.6 rebounds per game. However, the 23-year-old has experienced back issues, although this was reportedly not the cause of his failed physical.

Following the trade’s cancellation, the team released a statement saying, “We are thrilled to welcome Mark back to our Hornets organization. After the other team aggressively pursued him, the decision to trade him was challenging. We have great respect for Mark’s talent, hard work, and character, and we look forward to his contributions to our team as a dynamic starting center. His return enhances our roster, and we anticipate the positive impact he’ll have on and off the court.”

It’s hard to take the Hornets’ excitement at face value, especially since they are now considering disputing the failed assessment and looking to send him back to the West Coast.