Charlotte Hornets sharpshooter Kon Knueppel will miss at least a month after aggravating the same left hamstring that wiped out the start of his second season.
The Hornets announced Sunday that Knueppel has a left hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in four weeks. NBA insider Chris Haynes was first to post the news on X, and the team’s announcement was then reported by ESPN, Sportsnet, Yahoo Sports and Hoops Rumors.
It is a painful setback for the 21-year-old. According to ESPN, Knueppel first hurt the hamstring during the offseason, which cost him all of preseason and Charlotte’s first eight games. He finally made his season debut Wednesday against the Brooklyn Nets, but lasted less than six minutes before leaving with the injury and did not return. He also sat out Friday’s NBA Cup game against the Boston Celtics.
The Hornets are not just losing Knueppel. Veteran guard Dennis Schroder was also diagnosed with a left hamstring strain, and the team said he will be reevaluated in two weeks.
Knueppel’s absence stings because of how good his rookie year was. The No. 4 pick in the 2025 draft played 81 games and averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists, according to Sportsnet. He led the NBA with 273 made 3-pointers while shooting 42.5 percent from deep, and finished second to Dallas’ Cooper Flagg in Rookie of the Year voting.
Charlotte has struggled without him. ESPN reported the Hornets have lost six games in a row. RotoWire noted that Grayson Allen and Sion James are candidates to pick up more starts on the wing while Knueppel and Schroder are out.
The four-week reevaluation would put Knueppel’s next checkup in early December, though the team did not give a firm return date.
Sources: Charlotte Hornets announcement, Chris Haynes on X, ESPN, Sportsnet, Yahoo Sports, Hoops Rumors and RotoWire.
Photo: “Sunset on the Hoop,” Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0 public domain dedication. Generic image; not a photo of the player or team.
