Hornets Finalize Trade, Re-Sign Coby White, and Ink Hannes Steinbach, Christian Anderson

A flurry of roster moves is now official.

Jeff Peterson Addresses The Media

It's been an unexpectedly busy offseason for Jeff Peterson and the Charlotte Hornets, who were one of the best stories in the second half of the 2025-26 season. Instead of building forward with the young core they constructed, the franchise is headed in a new direction, building around the young duo of Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller

Over the last few weeks, Peterson has made a trio of trades, agreed to terms with a key piece of the future, and picked up a pair of rookies in the first round of the draft. Four of those roster moves are now official.

Hornets trade with Rockets goes through

Mar 16, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (2) reacts after a turover during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Hornets officially acquired veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith and three future second-round picks from the Rockets, in what was essentially a salary dump for Houston. The three picks will be in 2027 (via Memphis), 2028 (via Houston), and 2033 (via Houston), giving the Hornets 18 second-rounders over the next seven drafts. Finney-Smith still has three years left on his current deal, but only the 2026-27 season is guaranteed money. It'll be interesting to see if the Hornets include him in another trade down the road or if they'll hang onto him for the entire season as a depth piece.

Coby White signs on the dotted line, returning to Charlotte

Apr 14, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Coby White (3) goes to the basket past Miami Heat guard Norman Powell (24) during the second half during the play-in rounds between the Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It didn't take long for the Hornets to get something worked out with Coby White after they agreed to trade LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves. White officially signed a three-year, $74 million deal to return as the organization's starting point guard through the 2028-29 season. In 21 games with the Bugs this past year, White averaged 15.6 points, three rebounds, and three assists, knocking down 46% of his shots and 39% from three. Oh, and he hit one of the biggest shots in franchise history with his three against Miami in the Play-In Tournament.

Draft picks Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson sign their rookie deals

Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the fourteenth pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Washington forward Hannes Steinbach after he was selected by the Charlotte Hornets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Hornets' two first-round picks, and only selections in this year's draft, Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson Jr., each signed their rookie deals. Steinbach, according to Spotrac, has a four-year deal that totals $24,981,907, $10,715,760 of which is guaranteed money. As for Anderson, he has a 4-year, $20,613,239 deal ($8,727,480 in guaranteed money).

The trades featuring LaMelo Ball (Minnesota) and Miles Bridges (Phoenix) are still not official. Those should go through in the near future.

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