Hornets Notes: Reinforcements returning, Coby White nearing debut

The Hornets are set to get a boost Tuesday in Chicago, as Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate are expected back from four-game suspensions stemming from a February 9 altercation with Detroit.

Their absences forced extended roles for Grant Williams and Ryan Kalkbrenner, something coach Charles Lee said he appreciated.

“I’m really proud of the guys that stepped up in their absence and gave us some really big minutes,” Lee told reporters, per Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

• Newly acquired Coby White still hasn’t made his Hornets debut, but that could change soon. White is working his way back from a left calf strain and has progressed to contact work in practice. “As long as he can continue to show up every day after a little bit more intensity on the court and the evaluations go well, he’s getting closer to being able to play,” Lee said. A return in Chicago — where White spent the first six-plus seasons of his career — remains in play.

• Rookie Kon Knueppel had a welcome-to-2026 moment over the weekend, learning that former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg dropped roughly $7,000 on a collection of Knueppel trading cards. “I didn’t realize cards were doing what they’re doing now,” Knueppel said. Consider that lesson learned.