Kon Knueppel was downgraded from Day-To-Day to Out on Tuesday's injury report with a left hamstring injury. He will miss Wednesday's opener at the Nets, with a return expected around Oct 23.
What happened
The Hornets listed Kon Knueppel as Out on the injury report issued Tuesday, Oct 20 at 4:44 PM ET. The issue is a left hamstring injury. He had been listed as Day-To-Day since Sep 25, after first appearing on the report as Out that same day. The report says Knueppel has returned to individual on-court activity but will not play in Wednesday's game against the Nets. The expected return date on the report is Oct 23. No further detail on the injury has been announced.
What it means for the Hornets
Charlotte opens the 2026-27 season at the Nets on Wednesday, Oct 21 at 7:30 PM ET, and will do it without Knueppel. Last season he played 81 games and averaged 31.5 minutes, 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists, so there are real minutes to cover. In games he has missed, Miles Bridges, Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball have carried the wing and guard load at around 28 to 31 minutes apiece, with Collin Sexton and Sion James picking up time behind them. The Hornets are 0-0 with no regular-season games yet, so there is no with-or-without record to point to. Grant Williams and Coby White are also Out, and Grayson Allen, Moussa Diabate and Kylan Boswell are Day-To-Day.
What to watch
The expected return listed on the report is Oct 23, two days after the opener. The next injury report before Wednesday's game at the Nets will show whether anything changes. Knueppel is already doing individual on-court work, so the step to watch is whether he is cleared for the game after the opener. The Hornets have not announced anything beyond the Oct 23 date.
Is Kon Knueppel playing at the Nets on Wednesday?
No. He is listed as Out on the injury report with a left hamstring injury and will not play Wednesday, Oct 21 at the Nets.
When will Kon Knueppel be back?
The injury report lists an expected return of Oct 23. He has returned to individual on-court activity, but no firm game has been announced.