Hornets trade Mark Williams to Suns for UConn’s Liam McNeeley, future first-rounder
Mark Williams is headed west again, except this time he’s bound for the desert.
The Charlotte Hornets traded the center to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night in exchange for the No. 29 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft — used to select Connecticut’s Liam McNeeley — and a 2029 first-round pick, league sources confirmed to The Observer.
As part of the deal, guard Vasilije Micic, whom Phoenix acquired from Charlotte at the trade deadline, will return to the Hornets. The 2029 first-round pick received by Charlotte is for the least favorable of Cleveland, Utah, and Minnesota’s selections and is top-five protected.
The Hornets also gained a 2026 second-round pick, the least favorable of Golden State and Denver’s selections. Phoenix, meanwhile, received a 2026 second-round pick, the most favorable of Golden State and Denver’s selections.
Williams’ departure comes four months after the original deal sending him to the Los Angeles Lakers for Dalton Knecht and draft compensation was rescinded due to a failed physical. Williams returned to the Hornets following the All-Star break, and both parties said the right things publicly.
However, it was difficult to see Williams hanging around much longer. He got off to a slow start in 2024-25 thanks to a foot injury prior to training camp, dealing another blow to a Core Four that never stayed healthy long enough to gauge just how good it could be.
The back issues that caused Williams to miss the bulk of 2023-24 wasn’t a huge problem in what turned out to be his final season, but he’s fought injuries throughout his three seasons as a pro, limiting him to just 108 games.
Williams is scheduled to earn $6.2 million in the last season of a four-year, $18 million deal and now he’ll be reunited with Nick Richards, who was sent to Phoenix in January along with a second-round pick for Josh Okogie and three second-round picks.
This story was originally published June 25, 2025 at 9:37 PM.
