Overview
- The Hornets completed the LaMelo Ball trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves and then reached agreement to re-sign Coby White, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania and multiple reports on Thursday.
- White's contract is reported as three years and $74 million and will keep him in Charlotte through the 2028–29 season.
- Charlotte expects White to step into a larger, likely starting, ball‑handling role after his midseason audition when he averaged 15.6 points and 3.0 assists in 21 games for the Hornets.
- Team executives view the Ball trade as the move that created the cap space to sign White while leaving the Hornets roughly $50 million below the luxury tax line and room for further roster moves.
- White was the No. 7 pick in 2019 and spent six-plus seasons with the Bulls; other teams showed interest in free agency but Charlotte prioritized retaining a player who helped lift the team's late‑season record.