This surely isn't what the Charlotte Hornets were hoping for when they acquired Coby White at the NBA trade deadline.
The Charlotte Hornets decided to get aggressive at the NBA trade deadline earlier this month, acquiring Coby White in a rather surprising deal with the Chicago Bulls.
The Hornets sent Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng and a trio of second-round draft picks to the Bulls in exchange for White, although Charlotte and Chicago later amended the trade to include a pair of second-rounders rather than three.
And that brings us to the central point right off the bat.
The reason for the amendment was White's calf, which has prevented him from taking the floor for the Hornets since being acquired on Feb. 4.
White has been dealing with a nagging calf injury all season long, but clearly, Charlotte did not know the severity of it at the time, especially considering that White had 21 points and 10 rebounds on Feb. 3, one night before the trade.
Normally, this wouldn't be a major issue. Injuries happen, and White is just 25 years old. But the sticking point here is that White is slated to be a free agent at season's end.
Obviously, the Hornets landed White with the intention of re-signing him. But for how long is he going to be sidelined?
Coby White. Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images.The All-Star break has arrived, so the former No. 7 overall pick will naturally get some extra rest here. But this calf issue has been bothering White since before the season even started, so you have to wonder if he'll ever be 100 percent this year.
That begs the question: how much will Charlotte be willing to pay White once he hits the open market? Will the Hornets base their contract off of White's prior production? Or were they hoping to get a better look at him this season?
To be fair, it's not like Charlotte gave up a ton to bag White. But if the Hornets are ultimately going to lose White this summer, then they probably could have found a better deal for Sexton.
White is averaging 18.6 points and 4.7 assists over 29.1 minutes per game on 43.8/34.6/80.5 shooting splits in 2025-26. The calf has clearly inhibited him, and considering the Achilles risk, Charlotte may be reluctant to get him back on the floor in the near future.
The Hornets obviously didn't know all of this going into the trade. If they did, you have to ask yourself whether or not they actually would have swung the deal.
Hopefully, White is able to return to the floor soon. If not, Charlotte will be faced with a very interesting decision this offseason.
Hornets Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Hornets. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.