Kon Knueppel, the Hornets’ electric second-year sharpshooter, just got assigned to their G League affiliate, the Greensboro Storm, for practice on Thursday. This is huge, even if he’s still listed as out for Friday’s matchup against the Washington Wizards. It’s the strongest signal yet that the kid is finally nearing a return after missing the first five games of the season with a strained left hamstring.
The Return of a Game-Changer
Knueppel, who is only 21, has been out of commission for over a month, suffering that hamstring injury during “offseason on-court activity” right before training camp. He missed all of camp, all of preseason, and the start of this regular season. But now, with a Friday game being the first of a back-to-back, maybe the team wants to save him for Saturday’s home game against the Philadelphia 76ers. Or, perhaps, we’ll see his season debut on Monday when the Detroit Pistons come to town. Whenever it is, Charlotte fans are ready.
Why are they so hyped? Last season, this guy was a beast. He finished second in NBA Rookie of the Year balloting, pushing 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg right to the wire. Knueppel, picked No. 4 overall out of Duke in the 2025 NBA Draft, dropped an average of 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. But the real kicker? He led the entire league in made 3-pointers, sinking a ridiculous 273 at a 43% clip on 673 attempts. He was a major reason the Hornets flipped their 19-63 record in 2024-25, which was the league’s third-worst, to a respectable 44-38 and a No. 9 seed in the NBA play-in tournament.
Hornets in the Weeds, Desperate for a Spark
This season, it’s been a bit of a mixed bag for Charlotte. After trading away LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns, a lot of folks, like Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, figured they’d take a step back, projecting 36 wins and missing the playoffs. They’re sitting at a decent 3-2 right now after a 97-89 loss to the Pistons on Wednesday, but they’re doing it shorthanded. Coby White is out with a left calf strain, and Grant Williams is nursing a right hamstring strain too.
Brandon Miller is carrying a huge load, leading the team with 25.6 points per game on 24 shots. Naz Reid, who came over in the Ball trade, is putting up 17 points and 8.8 boards, but even he got benched for the entire second half against Detroit for “not meeting our standards,” according to Head Coach Charles Lee. This team needs help. Big time. Knueppel’s return, whenever it drops, is going to ease a massive burden on this squad and get that offense humming again. Get ready for some long bombs, folks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply