The Charlotte Hornets want to re-sign Coby White this offseason after his strong start with the franchise following a trade deadline move, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. White averaged 15.6 points in 21 games with Charlotte while the organization shifts toward a younger core built around Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel.
White, 26, enters unrestricted free agency after completing the final season of his three-year, $36 million contract. His future has become one of Charlotte’s offseason decisions after the Hornets made a major roster move by trading away LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Ball trade sent Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps and three second-round picks to Charlotte. The move signaled a transition toward Miller and Knueppel as the franchise’s primary building blocks.
Youngmisuk noted that Miller and Knueppel will take on larger roles moving forward. Miller led Charlotte in scoring during the 2025-26 season, averaging 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 38.3% from three-point range. Knueppel, the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, added 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 42.5% from beyond the arc.
White provides a different piece to that young group. After arriving in Charlotte, he averaged 15.6 points, 3.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 19.3 minutes per game. He shot 46.1% from the field and 39.1% from three-point range in his 21 appearances, giving the Hornets another perimeter scorer.
Before the trade, Charlotte finished the 2025-26 season with a 44-38 record and earned a Play-In Tournament spot. The Hornets ranked ninth in the Eastern Conference, with Miller, Ball and Knueppel accounting for three of the team’s biggest offensive roles before Ball’s departure.
The Hornets also gained additional frontcourt depth in the Ball trade with Reid, who averaged 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists for Minnesota in 2025-26. That addition gives Charlotte more flexibility as it builds around its new core.
