Charlotte Hornets guard Coby White becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Charlotte Hornets guard Coby White has been ranked as the 22nd-best free agent this summer.
NBA analyst Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report has White ahead of Quentin Grimes but behind Marcus Smart.
"Assuming Charlotte likes the fit, the team has the right to pay White more than any other suitor as an unrestricted free agent (the franchise cannot offer him a market-rate extension, given his current salary and extend-and-trade restrictions)," Pincus wrote. "He may struggle to find more than the $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception in the market."
The Hornets acquired White from the Chicago Bulls in Feburary. In 21 games with Charlotte, White played well. He averaged 15.6 points per game while shooting 46.1% from the field, 39.1% from beyond the arc and 83.9% from the foul line.
Before free agency starts on June 30, the Hornets can sign White to a three-year, $52.4 million extension. If White hits free agency, he can meet with other teams.
The 26-year-old White finished the 2025-26 season averaging 17.4 points per game with the Bulls and Hornets.
"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," Hornets general manager Jeff Peterson told reporters. "... I'm excited to see what this offseason looks like. He gets a full offseason with us and then going into next season as well."
Chicago drafted White with the seventh overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. White has career averages of 15.4 points per game.
The Hornets didn't make the playoffs this season, but they have a bright future with LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel leading the way. Don't be surprised if Charlotte re-signs White and makes the playoffs next season for the first time since 2016.
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