Could the Charlotte Hornets end up regretting this?
Coby White has yet to suit up for the Charlotte Hornets since being acquired at the NBA trade deadline, as he has been nursing a calf injury.
But given that the Hornets did not give up a whole lot for him (Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng and a couple of second-round draft picks), Charlotte can afford to be patient.
However, Mack Bates of Sporting News wonders if the Hornets could end up regretting this trade due to the involvement of one particular asset: Dieng.
"Charlotte could have used a young (22-years-old), lengthy (6'9") wing given their current rotation," Bates wrote. "Given his limited NBA opportunities to this point, the Hornets could have retained him beyond this season at a discounted price."
Funny enough, after Charlotte sent Dieng to the Chicago Bulls in the White deal, the Bulls then flipped him to the Milwaukee Bucks.
In three games with the Bucks, Dieng is averaging 12.7 points, five rebounds and 1.3 blocks over 21.3 minutes a night while shooting 56 percent from the floor and 50 percent from three-point range.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Ousmane Dieng. Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images.Obviously, that's an incredibly small sample size, but there is no doubt that Dieng has potential, which is why the Oklahoma City Thunder initially selected him with the 11th overall pick of the NBA Draft.
Dieng has registered just 4.4 points per game on 42.9/31.6/73.8 shooting splits throughout his career, but he really hasn't gotten much of an opportunity yet. Perhaps Milwaukee will give that to him?
The Hornets made the White trade because it was becoming abundantly clear that they had built a solid foundation of young talent and were trending upward. They obviously viewed White as a piece that could take them to the next level.
The problem is that White is slated to hit free agency at the end of the year and could land a rather hefty pay day on the open market, so it is no sure thing that the 25-year-old returns to Charlotte.
Of course, the Hornets probably have a good idea that they'll be able to retain White. They surely knew that going into the trade. But if the University of North Carolina product ends up walking this summer, Charlotte may rue the day that it included Dieng in a deal that ultimately went nowhere.
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