Hornets’ Charles Lee already loves ‘battle-tested’ trade deadline addition

The Charlotte Hornets are officially one of the hottest teams in the NBA, and head coach Charles Lee believes a certain trade deadline addition is a major reason why. Following a dominant 118-89 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, Lee did not hold back his praise for guard Coby White, calling him a “battle-tested” veteran who has transformed the team’s floor.

“He adds a lot to our environment and to our product on the court,” Lee said of White. The Hornets moved to 32-31 with the victory, marking the first time they have sat above the .500 mark since late October. It also extended their current winning streak to six games, a stretch where Charlotte has boasted one of the most efficient offenses in the league.

Charles Lee on Coby White: "He adds a lot to our environment and to our product on the court."

"We have a very deep team, but there is something about having a guy like that who's battle-tested, been through a ton of experiences as a high-level thinker and basketball player."… pic.twitter.com/WsJ9sYnhqC

— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) March 5, 2026

White was surgically efficient against the Celtics at TD Garden, finishing with 17 points and six assists while shooting a crisp 6-of-9 from the field in just 20 minutes of action. His ability to stabilize the second unit and provide a clutch scoring punch has given Lee a luxury the Hornets have lacked in recent seasons.

Lee noted that having a high-level thinker like White makes him comfortable putting the ball in his hands at the end of quarters to ensure the team gets a quality shot.

The blowout featured a balanced attack as rookie Kon Knueppel led all Charlotte scorers with 20 points. Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball each chipped in 18 points, while the defense held a powerhouse Boston squad to just 89 points.

For a team that was fighting just to stay in the play-in race a month ago, the addition of White alongside stars like Ball and Miller has created a formidable rotation. As the Hornets push toward the postseason, their new “battle-tested” creator seems to be exactly what the doctor ordered.

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