Kon Knueppel could be back on the floor for the Hornets as soon as this week, with Charlotte eyeing either Wednesday’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets or Friday’s game against the Boston Celtics for his season debut.
Knueppel has been sidelined by a hamstring injury, but the wait has been long enough that his return now feels like a major turning point for a team that badly needs a spark. Charlotte is 3-5 and sits at the bottom of the league in offense, pace and offensive rating. Charles Lee’s team is scoring just 97.4 points per game, which is last in the NBA.
That’s a tough place to be, especially with Knueppel and Brandon Miller now serving as the franchise cornerstones in Charlotte after the LaMelo Ball trade. The Hornets sent Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves this summer, and Miles Bridges was also dealt to the Phoenix Suns.
Knueppel’s rookie season was already loaded with production before the injury ever entered the picture. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 47.5% from the field, 42.5% from 3 and 86.3% at the line. He also led the NBA in 3-pointers.
His résumé from last season was packed with milestones. Knueppel won the first four Rookie of the Month awards, becoming the first Hornet ever to take home the honor four times. He also became the only player in NBA history age 22 or younger to record 250 3PM in a season, did it against New York on March 26, and later passed Michael Jordan for the NBA rookie record for most games with 20+ points on 65% true shooting, reaching 27 against Miami on March 6.
The records kept coming. Knueppel set the NBA rookie mark for 3-pointers made in a season with 207 against Indiana on Feb. 26, when he hit a career-high-tying and franchise-rookie-record-tying eight 3PM.
He also set a new NBA record for most games with 5+ 3PM by a rookie with 14 at Atlanta on Feb. 7.
On Dec. 31 against Golden State, he broke the rookie record for most games with 20+ points on 50/40/90 shooting splits, topping the mark previously held by Stephen Curry.
There’s also the bigger historical note: Knueppel is one of only three rookies in NBA history, minimum 25 games played, to average at least 15 points and 5 rebounds while shooting 40% from deep. The other two are Larry Bird and Paul Pierce.
Even though he didn’t win the 2025-26 Rookie of the Year award, Knueppel still put together a season that made a loud statement. He was the first rookie ever to lead the NBA in made 3-pointers, finishing with 272, and the Hornets are clearly hoping his return changes the look of their offense right away.
In Other News...
Coby White Is Back But Charlottes Offense Still Looks Like The Real Story
Coby White is back in the Charlotte Hornets starting lineup after working his way back from a left calf strain, and his return gives the team a better chance to see what its projected first unit can actually look like. He logged 15 minutes against the Detroit Pistons as Charlotte eased him back in, a sensible approach for a player coming off an injury while the Hornets try to settle into something closer to their intended rotation.
Dennis Schrder shifted to a reserve role with White back, which is another sign the Hornets are inching toward a more complete look. Even so, the bigger question remains whether the offense can clean itself up enough to take advantage of that stability, because the teams issues with scoring and turnovers have been hard to ignore while the roster has been in flux. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Could Get A Key Offensive Piece Back At The Perfect Time
Kon Knueppels absence has lingered long enough to become part of the Hornets nightly equation, with the wing missing eight straight games because of a left hamstring strain. Charlotte has had to keep moving without one of its more promising offensive pieces, even as the calendar starts to make every healthy body matter a little more.
Head coach Charles Lee has made it clear the wait may not be much longer, though he stopped short of putting a date on Knueppels return. The Hornets also locked in his salary for next season by exercising his contract option for 2027-28, a small but meaningful sign of how much the organization values his place in the rotation once hes back on the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets May Finally Get The Rotation Help They Desperately Need
Charlottes rotation could get a needed boost Wednesday night in Brooklyn, with Kon Knueppel and Coby White both listed as probable. Knueppel has yet to appear this season after missing the first eight games with a left hamstring strain, while White is back in the mix after recently working his way through a left calf strain.
Grant Williams, meanwhile, remains sidelined with a right hamstring injury and still has not played this season after getting hurt during offseason workouts. For a Hornets group trying to steady its depth and find more reliable minutes on the wing and in the backcourt, the potential return of Knueppel and White comes at an important time, even if the full picture is still not quite complete. [Read more 🡒]