Charlotte Hornets Executive VP of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson spoke on the future of guard Coby White at the team’s end-of-season media day.
The Hornets acquired White from the Chicago Bulls at the trade deadline for Collin Sexton and two second-round picks. The Goldsboro, North Carolina, native performed relatively well for his home-state team after the trade, coming off the bench in 21 games for the Hornets, averaging 15.6 points per game in just 19.3 minutes per game.
Where White really shone, however, was during the Play-In Tournament. The No. 9-seed Hornets took on the No. 10-seed Miami Heat in the first play-in game, and White was incredible, scoring 19 points on 7-15 shooting, including 5-8 from 3-point land in 26 minutes off the bench. White was a game-high +21 and was a big reason why the Hornets beat the Heat 127-126 in overtime.
The Hornets ended up losing to the No. 8-seed Orlando Magic in their second play-in game, and White struggled in that matchup, scoring just 4 points. But he wasn’t alone in his struggles, as most of the Hornets couldn’t score, and the team lost 121-90 to be eliminated from playoff contention for good.
Now that the season is over, White is set to be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his NBA career. While he will have the right to test the market, the Hornets want him back.
“Like I said when we traded for Coby, we envisioned him as somebody who’s going to be with the Hornets for a long time. He embodies what we’re about in terms of just, of course, on the court, he’s a really, really good player. But the human being, his approach, his professionalism, I’m just happy for him, what he’s been able to accomplish in this short amount of time. I’m excited to see what this offseason looks like. He gets a full off-season with us and then going into next season as well,” Peterson told the media (via RealGM).
Charlotte Hornets Have the Cap Space to Bring Coby White Back
The Hornets should have the cap space to bring White back into the fold. The team’s current cap table has them projected to be $20 million under the cap for next season, so they should have no trouble re-signing White to a new deal, especially since they have his Bird Rights and can go over the cap to re-sign him. While White will likely get some good offers in free agency, the smart money is on the Hornets and White agreeing on a new deal to keep him in Charlotte.
Coby White Has Made Over $60 Million in His NBA Career
White has earned $60,131,515 in his seven-year NBA career since he was drafted by the Bulls with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of UNC. White was a very valuable player for the Bulls over the years, operating as the heart and soul of the team, but the Bulls had zero playoff success during his time there. With the Bulls in the midst of a full rebuild, the team traded White at the deadline, sending him to his home-state team, which turned out to be a good fit.
Charlotte Hornets Exec Speaks on Future of Coby White