Kon Knueppel is finally set to make his regular-season debut in the Hornets’ starting lineup, and Charlotte is rolling out its preferred five for the first time this 2026-27 season against the Nets.
Knueppel and Coby White are both available, giving Charles Lee the group he wanted from the start. White is back after returning two days ago against the Detroit Pistons, where he scored seven points on 3-of-9 shooting, added three assists, and matched that with three turnovers. He logged just under 16 minutes in a blowout loss, and a similar workload - maybe a little more - is expected tonight.
For Hornets fans, the bigger moment is Knueppel. This is the first chance to see him since Charlotte’s play-in loss to Orlando at the end of the 2025-26 season. It’s also his first game since LaMelo Ball’s departure, though Knueppel did log more than 1,000 minutes without Ball last season while Ball was injured.
Brandon Miller remains a major part of the offensive load, but the hope is that the return of the starting backcourt eases some of that pressure. Miller is currently fifth in the NBA in field goal attempts per game, a huge jump from last season, when he finished 32nd in that category.
Charlotte’s frontcourt and bench pieces round out the lineup with Naz Reid, Moussa Diabaté, Nolan Traoré, Michael Porter Jr., Chaney Johnson, Julius Randle, and Day’Ron Sharpe all part of the mix in the matchup.
Reid has already had one of his best Hornets performances against Brooklyn. In Charlotte’s 110-103 season-opening win, he put up 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists. Since then, he has added only eight assists across the next seven games.
Diabaté has been productive in some areas and messy in others. He’s still bringing elite rebounding and nonstop effort, and his scoring and field goal percentage are both at career-best marks. The flip side has been giveaways, and his defensive impact hasn’t fully shown up yet.
Traoré steps in for fellow sophomore guard Egor Dëmin, who remains sidelined for Brooklyn. The French prospect has offered a surprise from deep, shooting 50% from three this season despite usually being viewed as a shaky shooter.
Porter has been steady in his own way, hitting 38.1% of his threes on nine attempts per game while taking a difficult shot diet, helping on the glass, and dishing 1.4 assists per game.
Johnson has started every game so far, even if his first meeting with Charlotte was quiet. He has since turned in better outings, including a 15-point game against Boston.
Randle’s season has been rough by his standards. He’s averaging 20.9 points per game, but the efficiency hasn’t been there, and he has the fourth-most turnovers per game in the league.
Sharpe, meanwhile, has looked like the player many expected: a useful backup big who may be stretched a little thin as a starter. He can rebound and score some, but the turnovers and defensive issues have been part of the package too.
In Other News...
Hornets Finally Get Kon Knueppel Back At A Desperate Time
The Hornets are getting a needed boost just as their offense has sputtered through the opening stretch. Kon Knueppel has been upgraded to available and is set to make his season debut Wednesday against Brooklyn after sitting out the first eight games with a left hamstring strain, giving Charlotte another option as it tries to dig out of the leagues offensive cellar.
There is still work to do on the injury front, though, with Grant Williams heading to the G League for practice as he continues to recover from a right hamstring strain. For a team already dealing with a sluggish start, getting one wing back helps, but the Hornets are still piecing together the rest of the rotation and waiting for more reinforcements to follow. [Read more 🡒]
Grant Williams Return Still Leaves Hornets With A Frontcourt Problem
Grant Williams road back from a right hamstring strain has taken him to the Hornets G League affiliate, where Charlotte sent him to Greensboro for practice as he continues working toward a return. He has missed the first eight games, and for a team trying to sort out its frontcourt rotation, every day without him matters a little more.
Williams absence carries extra weight because this is not just a routine setback. He already worked back from a torn ACL and other knee injuries suffered in November 2024, then returned to play in January 2026, so the Hornets are being careful with a player whose recent injury history has already tested their depth. For now, the only certainty is that Charlotte still does not have a firm timetable for when he will be back in game action. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Finally Get Back A Shooter Their Offense Desperately Needed
The Hornets are getting a much-needed boost to their perimeter game with Kon Knueppel set to rejoin the lineup on Wednesday, giving the offense another shooter after a sluggish start to the season. The 2025 fourth overall pick made an immediate impression as a rookie, finishing as the runner-up for NBA Rookie of the Year and quickly establishing himself as one of the teams most reliable threats from beyond the arc.
Charlotte has been piecing together its rotation as other pieces have come back into the fold, including starting guard Coby White, while Grant Williams was recently sent to the G League affiliate for practice. Knueppels return matters because the Hornets have been searching for spacing and shot-making, and his presence should help open things up for a group that has been trying to find a better offensive rhythm. [Read more 🡒]