Coby

White

According to the team, White suffered a strained left calf during training camp. As a result, he won’t play in any preseason games, and team doctors will re-evaluate him just before the start of the regular season. White’s injury means that Charlotte will go through the preseason without three expected rotation players, with Kon Knueppel and Grant Williams dealing with hamstring injuries. If White isn’t ready when the regular season begins, Dennis Schröder will gain added fantasy value as the Hornets’ most experienced healthy point guard.

Given how well Knueppel played as a rookie and the Hornets’ decision to move on from LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, Friday’s news gives his 2026-27 season a brutal start. At a minimum, the runner-up for Rookie of the Year will be sidelined for four weeks, and that’s just for him to be re-evaluated. According to the Hornets, Knueppel suffered the left hamstring injury during an offseason on-court activity. His absence boosts the early-season values of Brandon Miller and Coby White while also making Grayson Allen a more viable late-round option in drafts.

Injuries limited White to 50 games last season. After a midseason trade to the Hornets, his minutes went from 29.1 per game in Chicago to 19.3 per game in Charlotte. White still averaged 15.6 points with the Hornets playing behind LaMelo Ball. With Ball now in Minnesota, White projects as a starter for the Hornets this upcoming season. He’s one of the big winners of the early offseason in terms of fantasy value.

The Pistons have been linked to nearly every available shooter this offseason. Prior to the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, it was believed that Powell would re-sign with the Heat. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Tuesday morning that Powell isn’t going to re-sign with Miami barring a “crazy discount.” With Powell seemingly available now, it’s no surprise that Detroit will at least kick the tires on the 33-year-old All-Star. The Pistons will continue to look to add shooting and playmaking around its core this offseason and Powell could factor into those plans. Stein and Fischer report Detroit is also interested in Tyler Herro, Coby White and Isaiah Joe.

While he only played 16 minutes on Sunday, White was effective in those moments. The Hornets guard shot 60 percent from the field overall and 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. White’s ability to provide scoring off the bench will be critical in the Play-In Tournament, which the Hornets will begin on Wednesday with a home game against the Heat. If Charlotte wins, they would visit the Orlando/Philadelphia loser on Friday, with the winner earning the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Hornets need either a win over the Knicks or a Heat loss to the Hawks to secure the No. 9 seed in the East. With Atlanta, like New York, sitting its entire starting five, the Hornets need to take care of business. White’s availability will undoubtedly help with that.

White is not on the injury report due to the sore groin that sidelined him for Tuesday’s loss to the Celtics, and he’s considered probable for Sunday’s game. The Hornets need a win to hold onto the No. 9 seed and host No. 10 Miami on Wednesday.

White was listed as probable, so his availability isn’t surprising. Expect him to handle his usual workload as a microwave scorer off of Charlotte’s bench.

White is on track to play after sitting out Tuesday’s loss to the Celtics with a sore left groin. His return likely means fewer minutes for Sion James, who logged 19 minutes off the bench in Boston.

White was downgraded to questionable Tuesday afternoon and subsequently ruled out with left groin soreness. The 26-year-old has excelled in a bench role since coming over from the Bulls before the trade deadline. Tre Mann could see a slight boost in minutes and production with White sidelined.