The Charlotte Hornets are one game behind the Chicago Bulls in the race for the East's final Play-In spot. There's a lot of season left, but Charlotte is red-hot — winners of seven straight. Their trade target of choice to help get over the hump, ironically, is Bulls point guard Coby White.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, White and recent acquisition Mike Conley Jr. are on their way to Charlotte. The Bulls will receive Collin Sexton, Ousmane Dieng and three second-round picks. Chicago nets a few assets instead of losing White to free agency in a few months. Charlotte, meanwhile, sets up a potential long-term partnership.
Hornets trade grade: B+
The Hornets get better, straight up, without sacrificing any meaningful long-term assets. Ousmane Dieng was a Thunder salary-dump to clear room for a separate trade. Sexton, due $18.5 million this season, was not long for Charlotte's roster. White is a much more logical extension candidate in the offseason, which is undoubtedly Charlotte's plan.
Charlotte is not all-in, necessarily, but this is a team with real momentum. It has been far too long since the Hornets played meaningful basketball. Kon Knueppel has dramatically shifted the vibes around this clubhouse. LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, for now, are both healthy. The Hornets are a functional, competitive team in the lazy river that is the Eastern Conference. This is not a bad time to push a few chips in.
Conley is either a third-string point guard or a buyout candidate, but his veteran leadership should pay dividends if the Hornets keep him around. White, meanwhile, is a classic bench guard — a bubbly slasher and shot-maker who can steer the ship when LaMelo sits or play alongside him in closing situations. White has his limits as a defender and a facilitator, but he's 24 with an impressively dynamic scoring repertoire. He's also a UNC product, which is a cherry on top for (some) locals.
Bulls trade grade: B
Chicago was never going to pay Coby White, so receiving three second-round picks, a former lottery pick and upside flier in Dieng, and a suitable stopgap replacement in Sexton, is really a nice bit of business. Sexton is actually the more efficient scorer, and while size limitations and a general allergy to point guard responsibilities can limit his value, the man plays incredibly hard and brings an infectious energy on the court. This is not a substantial downgrade whatsoever, and there's a chance Chicago can even re-sign him next offseason at a more palatable price point than White.
Dieng is an expiring contract and there's some overlap with Matas Buzelis and Noa Essengue, which means Chicago probably does not view him in a forward-thinking capacity. Still, it's worth the flier, as Dieng just never stuck on the floor for an impossibly deep Oklahoma City team. He's a long, athletic forward with some shooting touch and compelling tools on defense. Maybe Billy Donovan and the Bulls can uncover a diamond in the rough.
Second-round picks are often transient assets, but considering the expiring nature of White's contract, a first-round pick was probably never in the cards — at least not this season. Perhaps Chicago waited too long to deal White at the end of the day, but given the hand the front office was dealt (by itself), this was a solid, solid move. Sexton should be a fast fan favorite in Chicago.