Hornets agree to terms with Coby White, keeping former UNC Tar Heel on board
Just hours after sending LaMelo Ball off to Minnesota, the Charlotte Hornets locked in the star point guard’s replacement.
The Hornets agreed to terms with Coby White on a three-year, $74 million contract on Thursday, league sources confirmed to The Charlotte Observer.
White was on track to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, and always had Charlotte atop his list, as he told The Observer exclusively in April. Jeff Peterson, the Hornets’ president of basketball operations, mentioned re-signing was a “priority” as recently as Tuesday following the first round of the NBA Draft.
And the Hornets had a head start in negotiating a new deal with him, providing Charlotte with a significant advantage over any other suitors.
Since June 14, following the conclusion of the NBA Finals a day earlier, Charlotte the Hornets have been able to discuss contract proposals with White’s representatives and got the deal done five days before he was set to hit the open market.
White takes the keys of the offense now with Ball’s departure and he showed he’s more than capable during his two-plus month stint with the Hornets after arriving from Chicago just prior to the NBA trade deadline.
White turned out to be an integral piece backing up Ball off the bench for the Hornets in 23 appearances. He connected on 52.5% of his shots, including 39.1% from 3-point range, and boasted an effective field goal percentage of 55.5.
And who can forget him nailing the game-tying bucket to help lift the Hornets over the Miami Heat in overtime in the opening round of the play-in tournament in April.
Now, White can fully settle in and try to help the Hornets end the NBA’s longest current playoff drought, which sits at a decade. He’ll be a team leader and one of the organization’s main voices.
This story was originally published June 25, 2026 at 12:50 PM with the headline "Hornets agree to terms with Coby White, keeping former UNC Tar Heel on board."
