Coby White
Getty
Coby White knocked down six threes in Tuesday's win.
The Chicago Bulls and the Charlotte Hornets will go head-to-head on Tuesday, February 24, for a matchup in Illinois.
The game features two teams that made a swap at the 2026 NBA trade deadline. Charlotte’s new acquisition, Coby White, played his entire career for the Bulls, but they have waiting for his Hornets debut. Finally, he will get it back in his old town this week.
All signs have been pointing to White making his debut against his former team. The Hornets officially upgraded White to available on Tuesday afternoon.
What Is White’s Injury?
GettyCoby White is cleared for action against the Bulls.
Before getting traded to the Hornets, White had been dealing with a lingering calf strain. He played in two games for the Bulls after a January 31 absence against the Miami Heat.
His final showing in a Chicago uniform included a 30-minute shift. He shot 7-17 from the field to score 21 points. He also racked up 10 rebounds and dished out three assists.
After the Hornets and the Bulls traded, it was discovered that White had a minor setback, which tweaked the full details of the trade. However, it was clear that White was not dealing with anything that would keep him off the court for long.
Since getting traded to the Hornets, White has missed seven games. Over that time, Charlotte has posted a 4-3 record. They’ve certainly cooled down since the All-Star break, but they hope that White can bring a much-needed boost as they evaluate the star guard down the stretch.
Why Did The Hornets Trade For White?
GettyCoby White during his run with the Bulls.
Consider this final run in 2025-2026 a showcase for White, who is going to be looking for a new deal soon.
As he wraps up a three-year, $36 million deal, White’s final $12.8 million salary should see a nice bump in free agency.
Heading into the season, the Bulls were clearly thinking about the future without the 25-year-old guard, as they didn’t make an extension offer. As the Bulls struggled to look better than a rebuilding team with their initial roster, White became a logical trade candidate. The Bulls made two notable moves, parting ways with Nikola Vucevic, in addition to White.
This year, White appeared in 29 games for the Bulls. He averaged 18.6 points, while shooting 43 percent from the field and 34 percent from beyond the arc. Along with his scoring, White produced 4.7 assists and came down with 3.7 rebounds per game.
This season was slightly down for White in the scoring department. Last year, he shot at a 45 percent clip to average 20.4 points per game.
White doesn’t land in a significantly better situation, but the Hornets have been more competitive this season. Despite a slow start to the year, Charlotte is 27-31, which is good for 10th in the Eastern Conference. Possessing the final NBA Play-In Tournament spot, the Hornets are hopeful that White can give them the necessary boost to help them make a possible playoff push.
The journey starts in Chicago on Monday. The Bulls and the Hornets will tip at 8 PM ET.