Hornets star Kon Knueppel sidelined with hamstring injury

The Charlotte Hornets sit at 44–38, holding the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference and a power‑ranking of ninth. They entered the preseason on a one‑game winning streak and have gone 6‑4 in their last ten contests, posting a net rating of +4.8. Losing Kon Knueppel for the preseason removes a key piece from a roster that is already positioned for a playoff push.

Knueppel, the starting guard wearing jersey #7, averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 47.5% from the field over 81 games this season. The left hamstring strain places him on the out list, with the team projecting a return around October 21, 2026. His absence will force the Hornets to rely on other perimeter options as they fine‑tune rotations before the regular season begins.