GM Jeff Peterson Reveals What Stands Out About New Hornets G Coby White

Coby White has yet to suit up for the Charlotte Hornets. He was a trade deadline acquisition, and a pretty notable one for a team that has typically only added around the margins.

He's been injured and missed last night's loss against the Houston Rockets. He could make his return to the court and Hornets debut tonight, but he could also be held out again.

Either way, despite the dwindling amount of possible games he can play, Hornets GM Jeff Peterson, who orchestrated the deal, is excited about what he is going to bring to a team fighting for a Play-In spot.

Peterson said in his press conference, "The thing that I always appreciate about Coby is the joy that he plays with. The guy, he loves basketball. He loves to work on his craft. He is very passionate, he loves to compete, but he's also unselfish."

This does fit well with the Hornets, who have a pretty boisterous play style and have some characters on the roster already. White's joy will fit right in, so it's fitting that Peterson brought it up.

The GM also noted his ability to score, which is White's calling card. "The shooting off the bounce is definitely going to be a positive," Peterson added.

Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) drives to the basket as Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Of course, the Hornets brought him in to keep them afloat while LaMelo Ball sits. Peterson knows this and addressed it, "Some of the minutes when LaMelo's not on the floor to have another ball handler in there that can generate offense, gets to the rim, but also can shoot the three and get others involved."

White was a positive contributor for the Bulls, who were 5.3 points better when he was on the floor. The Hornets have not found a guard who can be a positive contributor when Ball sits, hence the deal for White.

If that remains true, then as Peterson said, this will help the Hornets tremendously. It's now just a matter of seeing the product in action, which could occur this evening.

White is a free agent at year's end, so what he does on the floor will not just be about this year. It will function similarly to an audition for the future. The Hornets seem to believe he's a player they want to keep longer than this year, but that does depend on how he plays.

Should he continue playing as he has for years and help the Hornets get into the playoffs, then an extension is very possible. But regardless, Peterson is excited about what he should bring to the table.