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Phoenix’s eventful offseason is ongoing, with reports confirming a trade to acquire center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets.
In this transaction, the Suns will give up Vasilije Micić, the 29th pick from this year’s Draft, and a 2029 draft pick that will be the least favorable choice among Cleveland, Utah, and Minnesota.
**What Phoenix Gains:**
**What Charlotte Gains:**
At just 23 years old, Williams has shown promise when in good health. Standing at 7 feet tall, he recorded an average of 15.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks last season, though he has managed to play only 106 games during his three years in the NBA.
**BREAKING: Charlotte Hornets are trading center Mark Williams to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for the No. 29 pick tonight and a first-round pick in 2029, according to sources cited by ESPN.**
As part of the trade agreement, Charlotte will be receiving Vasilije Micic, as reported by ESPN.
Micic was shipped to Phoenix in February during the Jusuf Nurkic trade and will have his $8.1 million team option picked up by Phoenix.
The Suns faced challenges with their frontcourt last season, even after acquiring fellow Hornets big man Nick Richards midseason. Phoenix seems determined to rectify their size issues by securing Williams and, as part of a reported deal involving Kevin Durant, selecting Duke center Khaman Maluach with the 10th pick in the NBA Draft.
Having missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2020, the Suns are looking to make significant improvements.
Last year, the Hornets explored trading Williams to the Los Angeles Lakers, but the deal fell through after the center did not pass his physical.
The Lakers had proposed a deal that included rookie Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and draft considerations in exchange for the 23-year-old talent, who is a third-year player from Duke and a previous first-round pick. LA was in search of a big man to fill the gap left by Anthony Davis, who was traded to Dallas along with Max Christie for superstar Luka Dončić.
The proposed trade would have also netted Charlotte the Lakers’ first-round pick in 2031 and a pick swap in 2030.
Ultimately, the Lakers called off the trade upon further discovering Williams’ injury history, which included back issues that led him to miss significant time (84 of 212 possible NBA games) over his first three seasons.
Following the failed trade, the Hornets released a statement welcoming Williams back to the team, resulting in an awkward situation.
It remains unclear if Williams has undergone a physical or if his medical records have been reviewed by Phoenix.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.
