In February, for a brief moment, Mark Williams turned into one of the biggest NBA headlines. Soon after the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade, Rob Pelinka pulled off another massive deal to acquire the Hornets Center in exchange for Dalton Knecht and other key assets. It looked like Williams would be the Lakers’ next lethal big man for the foreseeable future. However, the trade was eventually rescinded because Mark failed his physical exam. Just like that, he was back in Charlotte.

Nearly five months since that unfortunate series of events, Williams’ NBA future has finally been determined. Amid the ongoing draft, veteran insider Shams Charania reported, “BREAKING: The Charlotte Hornets are trading center Mark Williams to the Phoenix Suns for the No. 29 pick tonight and a 2029 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN.”

Yes, Hornets have once again dealt Mark, this time to Phoenix, in exchange for multiple draft picks. Reports suggest that the trade will also include Vasilije Micic returning to Charlotte. Of course, Micic moved to Phoenix in February as part of the Jusuf Nurkic deal. He played only five games with the new team and was a non-factor in all of them. Now, his $8.1 million team option will get exercised by the Suns as he returns to Charlotte.

As for Williams, acquiring him makes perfect sense for the Suns. Their lack of size was a glaring weakness throughout the season, and it got worse when they traded Nurkic. Mark’s seven-foot frame could solve that issue going forward. Despite the setback of the rescinded Lakers trade, he had a solid year, averaging a career high 15.3 points and over ten rebounds. His health remained a major concern as he played only 44 games. If Phoenix is able to take care of that, Williams could be a solid piece in their title pursuit. Even the hoop community had mixed reactions to this sudden trade.

NBA World questions Suns’ Mark Williams decision as concerns rise for his health once again

Soon after Shams broke the news, netizens began questioning Phoenix’s decision, as comments like “What was the point of this trade lol just drafted Maluach” and “So why did they just draft a center too?” began flooding in. Yes, earlier tonight, Mat Ishbia’s front office picked Duke Center Khaman Maluach as their tenth overall pick. So, why go for two bigweights on one night?

Well, Maluach is an incredible prospect, who was the defensive anchor for Duke all year. He averaged 8.6 points and nearly seven rebounds in his maiden college season. However, it’s unlikely that he would turn into an immediate starter for Phoenix as a rookie. He would likely need some time to develop into that role. That’s why the Williams trade makes sense. While Maluach develops, Mark could be the starting Center for them.

Moreover, Phoenix did not have to give up a whole lot to acquire him. One netizen pointed it out, “Why did they trade him for pennies on the dollar??” The 2029 first rounder the Suns gave up is least favorable of Cleveland, Utah, and Minnesota, and would not have been of much benefit for them amid their “win-now” vision. So, getting a solid big like Mark in exchange seems like a steal.

While the move looks good for the Suns on paper, netizens warned them about Mark’s health concerns, “Make sure he passes the physical.” Obviously, Phoenix would not want to be stuck in a situation the Lakers were in February. When Mark failed his physical with the LA team, even he was a bit surprised, “I didn’t think I had failed my physical. That didn’t even cross my mind. The night I got traded, I played hella minutes. I didn’t think in any world that was possible. Since I’ve been back at the start of the year, I’ve played games with a lot of minutes. I feel like every injury I’ve had has been well-documented, and I’ve recovered and been 100% since. So, I don’t know what went into that decision. I think that’s up to them.”

Hopefully, things will work out this time as Williams takes the next step in his young career. Thoughts?