Kon Knueppel’s return was supposed to give the Charlotte Hornets a lift. Instead, it left them right back where they started, scrambling for answers after another hamstring setback knocked him out again.
Knueppel, who had already missed the Hornets’ first eight games with a hamstring injury, came back Wednesday against the Brooklyn Nets but lasted only six minutes before leaving with discomfort in his left leg. Charlotte later announced on Sunday that he suffered a left hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in four weeks.
That news lands at a rough moment for a team already stuck in a six-game losing streak. The Hornets were counting on Knueppel to be one of their top scorers this season after a rookie year in which he averaged 18.5 points per game and led the NBA in three-pointers made.
Now, with Dennis Schröder out because of a hamstring injury and Brandon Miller also unavailable, Charlotte’s rotation is getting reshuffled again for Monday’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. That opens the door for a few players to pick up more responsibility.
Grayson Allen is one of the clearest beneficiaries. He has already been seeing more run with Knueppel sidelined, and this latest injury could push him into an even larger offensive role.
The Hornets need scoring badly, and Allen has shown he can heat up from deep. Earlier this season, he dropped 27 points against the Philadelphia 76ers while hitting seven of 10 from three-point range.
Allen also started in place of the injured Knueppel in Friday’s loss to Boston. How much more he plays from here is still up in the air as head coach Charles Lee tries to sort through the healthy bodies he has left. Even if Allen can’t replace everything Knueppel brings, he can at least help supply some of the perimeter shooting Charlotte is missing.
Sion James is another player who could see his role expand. He opened the season in the starting lineup while Knueppel was out, then moved to the bench once Knueppel returned against the Nets. With Knueppel now sidelined again, James may be headed back into major minutes.
James doesn’t give the Hornets the same outside scoring punch, but he brings defense and versatility. With Miller also out, he could be asked to cover different spots on the floor than usual. This is a chance for him to show Lee and the coaching staff that he deserves steady minutes even when the roster is whole again.
Coby White’s workload figures to grow too, and in a different way. He was already expected to carry a significant load on offense, but Knueppel’s absence puts even more on his plate. White returned last week after missing the start of the season with a calf injury and is still on a minutes restriction as he works back into shape.
For White, losing Knueppel is a major hit. Charlotte’s perimeter scoring was already thin, and White had been leaning on Knueppel as another creator on the outside. Now he has to help make up for that production while also sharing ball-handling duties with Schröder out as well.
The Hornets do not need White to replace Knueppel alone, but they do need him to be another scoring threat and help run the offense until more of the roster gets healthy. For a team already battling through injuries and a long losing streak, that’s the reality now. Allen can chase extra minutes, James can try to carve out a bigger role, and White has to shoulder more of the scoring burden while Charlotte tries to stop the slide.
In Other News...
Naz Reid Is Giving The Hornets Exactly What They Need
Naz Reid has settled into a much better rhythm for Charlotte since being benched by head coach Charles Lee, and the timing has mattered. Over his last six games, he has averaged 17.6 points while giving the Hornets a steadier scoring presence, something the team has needed with Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel still sidelined. His recent 25-point effort in a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers was another sign that he is becoming more comfortable carrying a bigger load.
Charles Lee also had reason to be encouraged by the way Reid impacted both ends of the floor in that victory, especially with Charlotte trying to piece together offense without several key pieces. The Hornets are leaning on him as a primary option for now, and the question is whether this stretch is simply a hot run or the beginning of a more permanent role in the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Losing Streak Is Putting Charlottes Biggest Weakness On Display
The Hornets six-game skid has done more than pile up losses, it has put their thinnest area in plain view. With multiple rotation pieces sidelined, Charlotte has had a harder time generating offense and even harder time surviving the night-to-night grind that comes with injuries, especially when the lineup keeps changing around them.
Kon Knueppel and Dennis Schrder are both dealing with hamstring injuries, while Brandon Miller is out with a groin issue, leaving the Hornets short on scoring and depth at the same time. For a team already searching for stability, the next stretch will be about managing those absences and hoping the roster can hold together long enough to stop the slide. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Just Got The Brandon Miller News They Needed
The Hornets have been trying to steady themselves after a rough start, and the win over Cleveland offered a little lift as they moved to 4-7. More importantly for Charlotte, the early outlook on Brandon Miller appears far less worrisome than it could have been. Miller had been sidelined, but the team is now seeing signs of progress, which matters for a group still looking to find its footing in the opening stretch of the season.
Charles Lees update gives the Hornets a reason to breathe a little easier, especially with the schedule already asking plenty of a short-handed roster. The bigger concern remains Kon Knueppel, whose injury still points to a potentially longer wait, but Millers situation at least suggests Charlotte may not be bracing for a drawn-out absence from one of its key young pieces. [Read more 🡒]