The object was simple: get more scoring, get more efficient, and help take the pressure off LaMelo Ball. And when the Hornets acquired Coby White from the Chicago Bulls, all three boxes were checked off.
It took a little longer than normal, but Coby White has changed everything for the Charlotte Hornets.
Throughout his six-and-a-half year career while with the Chicago Bulls, White has made a name for himself as a spot up shooter.
He averaged 15.4 points per game shooting almost 37% from 3, and in his final three and a half seasons in Chicago, averaged more than 17 points per season.
While with Chicago, White was predominantly a shooter, making his presence known off the ball and figuring out ways to create separation.
But Charlotte had different plans for him.
The Hornets already had a solid foundation for this season, owning the most efficient starting five in the NBA which features LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate.
Due to its success, the last thing you want to do, is to throw a wrench into a well oiled machine.
So would it be counterproductive to throw the high-volume shooter in White on the second unit?
When White came to town, he was still recovering from a calf injury, and it may have been a blessing in disguise. From there, he was able to study how his new team functions, and how he would fit on the second unit.
Prior to White’s arrival, Charlotte’s bench averaged an 18th-best 35.6 points per game. Once White started playing, its bench ranked 15th, averaging 37.7 points per game.
When you look into the Hornets’ game-by-game history, they were 13-20 in games decided by 10 points or less before White suited up.
Those extra two points off the bench can easily change the course of the standings.
Since he started playing, the Hornets have only been in three games decided by 10 points or less, and they’re 2-1 in that timeframe.
After Charlotte’s 130-111 beatdown against the Orlando Magic on Thursday, White, who scored 27 points, on 5-8 shooting from 3-point land, was asked about his new role, and he was effusive when discussing the fit with the Bees.
"One thing I've been loving too is that in Chicago the last couple of years, I've been off the ball predominantly. Now I've been on the ball a lot more, with the ball in my hands and being able to play (point guard) more. That's been dope for me, just getting back to that because that's the position I grew up playing."
In head coach Charles Lee’s system, the Hornets have shown to be an exemplary team in ball dominant guards who have the ability to create opportunities for either themselves or their teammates.
Ball is one of the more effective guards in the league, and whenever his presence is missing, the team struggles.
Which is why White was such an obvious fit.
Ball has dealt with injuries for the majority of his professional career, so anytime you have the opportunity to rest him, you need to take it.
But before White, Charlotte had Collin Sexton come off the bench. While Sexton was beloved in the locker room and had a nose for scoring, he didn’t provide the same kind of efficiency that White does when he was on the ball.
While manning the point, Sexton had a -4.8 rating on the Hornets.
White? Already at 8.2.
White didn’t just add to the Hornets effective offense, it provided them with the stability it desperately needed.
With young teams, you worry about burnout and even overconfidence. The addition of a veteran like White helps minimize those worries in a heartbeat.
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