As the Charlotte Hornets ponder what the next step on the continuous path toward improvement might look like, one question hangs over their heads: Should they extend Mark Williams? The case for and against a contract extension are equally as compelling, thus creating what can only be described as a turning point in franchise history.
For a team that has yet to find the formula for sustainable success, Charlotte must commit to a decision that will either gamble on Williams' availability or risk further alienating his talent.
The Hornets selected Williams at No. 15 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. He's quickly justified the selection, producing at a level typically reserved for top-five picks when one considers his youth and inexperience as factors he's managed to overcome.
Unfortunately, injuries have acted as the overarching story during the first three seasons of Williams' otherwise promising career.
It's difficult to write a player off as injury-prone when they're still on their rookie contract, but the Hornets must now determine how legitimate that label is. Is Williams simply enduring the pitfalls of playing a taxing style while he's still adjusting to the pace and physicality of the NBA? Or is this a long-term issue that could derail his development?
Compounded by the delicate nature of the relationship between Williams and the Hornets after the franchise attempted to trade him in February, clarity is nonexistent—and the margin for error is identical.
Should the Hornets sign Mark Williams to a contract extension?
Williams has appeared in 106 of the Hornets' 246 games during his three NBA seasons. It's the single biggest reason Charlotte may think twice about extending Williams and could instead allow conversations about his contract to wait until 2026.
In that scenario, the Hornets would effectively give Williams one more season to prove he can stay healthy—a fair request considering he set an underwhelming career high with 44 appearances in 2024-25.
The hurdle that remains in front of Charlotte, however, is bringing itself to overlook Williams' constant improvement and impressive production. In 2024-25, he averaged 15.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.0 offensive boards, 2.5 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 0.7 steals in 26.6 minutes per game.
Williams set career-best marks in points (20.6), rebounds (13.7), and assists (3.4) per 36 minutes, and improved his free-throw shooting from 69.1 percent as a rookie to 80.4 percent in his third season.
That seemingly speaks to Williams' desire to improve, as well as his remarkable potential. That much was reaffirmed when the Los Angeles Lakers were a failed physical away from acquiring Williams to anchor their interior during what they hoped would be a run at a championship.
Unfortunately, that reaffirmation may have come at the cost of being able to convince Williams he's valued in Charlotte—especially if he isn't handed an extension offer.
That all amounts to an impossible decision without a clearly ideal answer. The group of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Williams, and whomever the Hornets select at No. 4 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft could lead the team to a turnaround, but availability is an unavoidable factor in that discussion.
Between Williams' undeniable All-Star potential, substantial injury issues, and the human element of potentially not offering him an extension after nearly trading him, the Hornets have an impossible decision ahead of them.