Coby White's Hornets Debut Is Put on Hold — Who Takes His Place in the Meantime?

Looking at how Charles Lee will handle the rotation without Coby White.

Dec 23, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) reacts during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

The Charlotte Hornets drastically improved their bench at the trade deadline, shipping out Collin Sexton and a pair of second-round draft picks to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Coby White.

Although it was an eye-popping move to some degree, Hornets fans are going to have to be patient as his debut in the purple and teal has been put on hold.

“Unfortunately, he’s been battling some calf injuries this season, so we’re going to be diligent in terms of exactly when he comes back," Hornets President of Basketball Ops Jeff Peterson told reporters on Thursday. "We’re going through all of the medical stuff now and physical stuff, so my guess is he’s not back until after the All-Star break.”

White had been playing with the Bulls prior to the trade, so in all likelihood, this is just a precautionary measure. They want the team doctors to get up to date with where he is, and at the same time, it allows him to sit back, watch, and learn the system and how the others on this roster play. With just three games remaining before the break, it doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to rush him onto the floor and then have it put on pause for over a week.

So, who takes White's spot in the rotation for now?

Jan 24, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Tre Mann (23) shoots during warm ups against the Washington Wizards at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Josh Green and Sion James could see a slight increase in minutes, but Tre Mann is probably the biggest benefactor of the trade, at least for now. He was knocked out of the rotation, and when he did see the floor, it was for extremely limited minutes. A big part of that, aside from the improved roster, is that Mann just hasn't come anywhere near his efficiency numbers from a year ago. This season, he's shooting a measly 36% from the floor and 32% from three-point range and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of around 1.6 to 1. He'll be asked to run the second unit up until the All-Star break, and if he plays well, he could earn a few more minutes even when Coby White is implemented.

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