Tonight is going to be a weird one for the Chicago Bulls.
Coby White's Charlotte Hornets debut will come in his old stomping grounds. The guard has sat out the last seven games due to his lingering calf strain, but he is officially ready to suit up for only his 30th game of the regular season. To be sure, exactly how many minutes he is expected to play in his first game as a Hornet remains to be seen, but one has to imagine he'll take the court with a little extra motivation (no matter what he says).
Charlotte also happens to enter the evening as one of the NBA's hottest teams. While they have cooled off slightly over the last week, this is still a group that has gone 11-3 over their last 14 games. Their young trio of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Kon Knueppel has created one of the league's most explosive offensive units. In fact, since the calendar turned to 2026, no team has held a higher offensive rating.
As for the Bulls, they are trying to shake off the rust of a 10-game losing streak. The team has looked incredibly out of sync on both ends of the floor since their explosive trade deadline. Even more troubling, they have only continued to stack up injuries. The Hornets do represent one of their easier matchups of the last handful of games, but it's still hard to imagine they have the firepower to match buckets. And we all know that's what it's going to take with such a weak defense.
Collin Sexton revenge game, anyone!?
How to Watch
Who: Charlotte Hornets (27-31) at Chicago Bulls (24-34)
Where: United Center
When: 7:00 PM CT
Watch: Chicago Sports Network
Projected Starting Lineups
Chicago Bulls
1. Tre Jones
2. Josh Giddey
3. Isaac Okoro
4. Matas Buzelis
5. Guerschon Yabusele
Charlotte Hornets
1. LaMelo Ball
2. Brandon Miller
3. Kon Knueppel
4. Miles Bridges
5. Ryan Kalkbrenner
Injury News
Anfernee Simons of the Chicago Bulls
Feb 19, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) talks with Chicago Bulls guard Anfernee Simons (22) during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
This isn't the game to be without one of your top long-range shooters. Anfernee Simons will miss his second consecutive game with a wrist injury. Meanwhile, Jalen Smith has also been ruled out after re-injuring his calf against the Knicks. The big man had missed five of the previous ten games with a calf issue and had been on a minutes restriction the previous three contests.
Chicago Bulls Injury Report
Jalen Smith – OUT (calf)
Anfernee Simons – OUT (wrist)
Jaden Ivey – OUT (knee)
Zach Collins – OUT FOR SEASON (toe)
Noa Essengue – OUT FOR SEASON (shoulder)
Charlotte Hornets Injury Report
Liam McNeeley – OUT (ankle)