There's no question the Charlotte Hornets' relationship with Mark Williams feels just a little bit different than it did this time last year. But if the organization is to regain right relations with its starting center, one solution is beginning to come to the forefront of the discussion: Giving Williams a multi-year deal to return to Charlotte this offseason.
Sure, there may not be any outward evidence of ongoing conflict between Mark and the Hornets. And it's possible that he and certain team representatives have worked things out behind closed doors. Considering everything that's happened in the last few months, it would be hard to imagine some kind of hard discussions not happening at one point or another.
Hornets fans remember the situation vividly. It was less than a week before the 2025 NBA trade deadline when Mark Williams was suddenly traded by Charlotte to the Los Angeles Lakers. To all of us outsiders, we obviously thought the trade was a done deal. I attended one of the team's shootarounds following the trade announcement and saw Dalton Knecht suited up in a Hornets practice jersey.
Then, just as quickly as that blockbuster trade had come, it was gone, as the Lakers seemingly had second thoughts and opted to reverse their course of action. The resulting situation certainly felt a bit awkward, especially after Williams and Knecht had both seemingly begun to move on to life with their new teams.
The Hornets could re-sign Williams to a multi-year deal
Such is the reality of life in the business that is the NBA. When Mark was asked at exit interviews whether he thinks he will be back next season, his response was probably what everyone expected to hear. "Maybe," he said with a chuckle. "There's a good chance of that. But like I said, I didn't think I was getting traded the first time."
For reference, Williams is technically under contract for next season as of right now. His four-year rookie contract signed in 2022 had a $6.2 million club option for 2025-26, which the Hornets officially exercised on October 30, 2024. Barring something unforeseen, he'll at least be back in Charlotte for next season.
But beyond that, the long-term future's a little more uncertain. The Hornets' center rotation is deep with Moussa Diabate's breakout season this past year, and Jusuf Nurkic (who was ironically only added to this roster following Williams' supposed departure) vying for real minutes as well.
There are certainly questions about how Mark Williams will pan out following the failed trade situation. With that said, reasons for optimism remain as well. If the Hornets are satisfied with his progress and want to make it clear to him that they still see him as their starting center for the foreseeable future, inking him to that long-term contract is going to be the way to go.