The Charlotte Hornets currently have the worst offense in the NBA. Some of the reasons are understandable, as Coby White is on a minutes restriction and Kon Knueppel has played six minutes the entire season. Unfortunately, the fact remains that Charlotte is woeful.
The good news is that White is the player who can resolve many of the Hornets' offensive issues. The bad news is that Charlotte can't rush him back just because they're struggling.
Charlotte currently ranks dead last in the NBA in offensive rating at a putrid 99.7. The Hornets are also No. 30 in field goal percentage, field goals made, assists, and free throw attempts, as well as No. 29 in three-point field goal percentage.
That's reared its head in the fact that Charlotte has failed to score 100 points in five of its first 10 games and barely cleared the mark at 104 in two of the exceptions.
The good news is that White can help in every one of those areas. He's not only a talented player, but a proven and productive guard who has offered quality as a scorer, spacer, and playmaker across a large enough sample size of seasons to silence any claims to the contrary.
Unfortunately, rushing White back before he's ready just to save the offense could ultimately result in causing further injury and an even lengthier road to recovery.
Coby White can fix the Hornets' offense—once he's fully recovered
Yes, the Hornets are 3-7 and need to turn things around before they dig themselves too deep of a hole to climb out of. Considering a four-game winning streak would bring them right back to .500, however, it's still too soon to panic.
Knueppel and Brandon Miller battling injuries of their own might suggest otherwise, but Charlotte can't compromise their players' health just to right the ship.
Waiting for White to get back to 100 percent is thus the optimal approach. When healthy, he can give the Hornets value in virtually every phase of the offensive game. Over the past three completed seasons, for instance, he's averaged 19.1 points, 4.6 assists, and 2.7 three-point field goals made on .449/.370/.856 shooting.
That type of production could prove transformative, as White would rank second on the Hornets in scoring and assists, and tie for the team lead in threes.
For as appealing as that all may be, White still hasn't played more than 18 minutes in a single game this season as he returns from a calf strain. Rather than risking a more catastrophic injury by instantly increasing his minutes, head coach Charles Lee and company must stay the course, even if the offense continues to falter.
It's a painful position to be in, but the Hornets must protect White from injury and preserve the hope they have for later stages of the season by not rushing him back.
Add us as a preferred source on Google