Aug. 6, 2026, 10:06 a.m. ET
The Charlotte Hornets traded former All-Star LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves this offseason.Coby White was re-signed by the Hornets and is expected to be the starting point guard.White expressed confidence in the team’s unselfishness and commitment during offseason workouts.White averaged 15.6 points in 21 games off the bench for Charlotte last season.
The Charlotte Hornets have had an offseason full of changes despite jumping from a 19-win season to a 44-win campaign last year. None of those moves were bigger than the blockbuster trade that sent former All-Star LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Following the move, the Hornets acted quickly in re-signing his replacement, former UNC guard Coby White. Ahead of his first full season as a starter for Charlotte, White spoke to the media about his expectations.
“I think we’ve got a really, really good team. We’ve got a lot of really, really good players. I think we got a lot of unselfish players, so that’ll make it easy in terms of coming together. A lot of us are already here now in Charlotte working out, so that’s a major step,” White told the Charlotte Observer.
“You don’t see that a lot in the NBA, so that already shows individually how bought in each player is.”
Culture was an area of emphasis for the Hornets last season, as the addition of well-respected veteran and former NBA champion Pat Connaughton seemed to make an impact beyond the box score. As White mentioned, Charlotte’s sacrifices to build chemistry this offseason are a testament to their commitment and willingness to win heading into the 2026-27 season. However, White will still have big shoes to fill following the departure of Ball.
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In six seasons with the Hornets, Ball made 303 appearances, averaging 20.8 points, 7.3 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 0.3 blocks. Following a trade from the Bulls last February, White made 21 appearances off the bench for Charlotte, averaging 15.6 points, three rebounds, three assists and 0.2 steals in 19.3 minutes per game.