Charlotte Hornets fans might have experienced a mini-heartbreak upon seeing that the Coby White deal had to be amended. Fortunately, the change was fairly simple, with the Hornets giving the Chicago Bulls one fewer second-round pick. Unfortunately, the revision stems from his nagging calf strain.
Last year's Mark Williams commotion is likely still embedded in the minds of many among the Hornets faithful. It even reportedly had an effect on how teams approached the trade deadline.
There's no such cancellation of trade this time around. Still, it's tough to fully rejoice, even if Charlotte doesn't have to give up a second-rounder in 2029 anymore. White's injury must be that serious for the organization to renegotiate the terms of the deal.
Of course, it could just be the Hornets trying to squeeze as much value out of the trade, or they may have wanted some form of compensation for the Bulls' possible lack of good faith. However, the uncertainty surrounding the date of his debut for his hometown team may have grown a bit.
Waiting on White
Based on what Jeff Peterson told the media on Thursday, we might have to wait until after the All-Star break to see the North Carolina native in action again.
Some might say that the organization is just being cautious with its recent acquisition, especially since he is expected to play a significant role in its postseason aspirations. A minor problem is that White had also dealt with a strained calf in the offseason. It limited his participation in Chicago's training camp and even caused him to sit out the first 11 games of the regular season.
There is even speculation that he had to play through the ailment this season. If that's the case, it could be a reason he has shot a tad less efficiently this year and is averaging a career-high in turnovers.
Hornets fans are hoping, though, that he can fully recover in no time. The team may be on a hot streak, but losing Collin Sexton could hurt its offense. White was supposed to be not just a replacement but also an upgrade. But with him still in street clothes, Charlotte will have to rely on Tre Mann, Sion James, and Josh Green to help carry the offensive load for the second unit.
Green proved up to the task on Thursday in the Hornets' defensive masterclass against the Houston Rockets. He recorded a season-high 14 points, going 4-4 from the field and hitting three 3-pointers, and added four steals. He was also a game-high +18.
James was his typically solid self. He chipped in six points on two 3-pointers, although his more valuable contributions were seen on the defensive end.
Meanwhile, Mann had an uneven performance. While Charlotte outscored the Rockets by eight in his 17 minutes on the court, he missed nine of his 10 field-goal attempts, with his lone make coming from three. He did try to impact the game in other ways, logging five rebounds and three assists.
Overall, the Hornets' offense in their first contest after the deadline was not up to par with what they have displayed in the past month. The thing is, not all of their following opponents will struggle to get buckets like the Rockets did on Thursday.
Buzz City needs a healthy White on the court as soon as possible, more so because the battle for favorable seedings in the postseason is heating up.