The Charlotte Hornets made a minor splash at the trade deadline, acquiring guard Coby White from the Chicago Bulls. That said, could the Hornets come to regret that decision? Possibly. Here are three reasons why Charlotte could end up having second thoughts about having made the deal.

1 – White’s asking price

Like Collin Sexton who was sent back to Chicago in the trade, White will also reach free-agency this summer. Ahead of the 2025-26 season, White was reportedly seeking more than $30 million per year in his next contract. While Charlotte is unlikely to offer that much, extending White could prove costly. Retaining Sexton would have aided Charlotte’s defense and he would likely be cheaper to extend.

2 – Giving up too soon on Ousmane Dieng

The Oklahoma City Thunder traded Dieng to Charlotte for Mason Plumlee, only to waive Plumlee after trading for Jared McCain. Without even thinking, the Hornets traded Dieng away as well, including him in the Coby White trade. Chicago then followed suit, sending Dieng to the Milwaukee Bucks. Apart from his Bucks debut, where he only saw five minutes, Dieng has posted solid numbers for Milwaukee since the deal. In the last two games with the Bucks, the former lottery pick is averaging 18 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Not to mention, he’ll be a restricted free agent this offseason, giving Milwaukee the chance to match any offer made by another team. Charlotte could have used a young (22-years-old), lengthy (6’9″) wing given their current rotation. Given his limited NBA opportunities to this point, the Hornets could have retained him beyond this season at a discounted price.

3 – White could walk

Ultimately, backup point guard isn’t the greatest need (wing depth, frontcourt depth and defense) for this Charlotte Hornets team. As a result, there’s a chance that the Hornets get outbid for White and that he leaves in free agency to join another team. Considering there’s only 27 games remaining in the regular season, if White were to depart after such a short stint, the deal may not have been worth it.

Although giving up two second-round picks isn’t the end of the world, Sexton had been playing well for the Hornets and Dieng has proven to possess plenty of potential.

Either way, time will tell if Charlotte will live to regret their recent deal.

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