The second that it was clear LaMelo Ball was being traded, this was always going to be the next domino to fall.
White agreed to a deal to return to Charlotte on a three-year, $74 million deal, something first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN. This is a fully guaranteed deal with no player or team options.
This is a good deal for both sides. White essentially doubles his salary and moves into starter range money. At the same time, the Hornets get their new point guard — a dynamic shot creator in his own right — at a lower price than Ball, giving them flexibility to add to the roster.
White will be the starting point guard with Kon Knueppel next to him in the backcourt, with Brandon Miller at the three, the just-acquired Nas Reid at the four, and either Moussa Diabate or Ryan Kalkbrenner at the five — that is a good, more rounded lineup than the Hornets had last season, when they won 44 games and made the postseason.
Last season, after being traded at the deadline to Charlotte, White averaged 15.6 points a game off the bench, shooting 39.1% from 3-point range, and dishing out 3 assists a game. His most memorable moment was hitting the 3-pointer in the play-in game against Miami that forced overtime.
White had other potential suitors, including Detroit and maybe Brooklyn (although the Nets get thrown around by agents all the time as a threat because they have cap space, whether they seriously wanted White is another question).
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