Hornets Hit With Double Injury Blow as Two Key Starters Ruled Out Ahead of Season Start

Charlotte spent the offseason making it clear that last season’s progress was only the beginning. The Hornets reshaped the roster, traded away two of their top players from last season in LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, and built a deeper group around Brandon Miller and their emerging young core. Now, before those changes can even settle in, the North Carolina franchise has already suffered an early setback.

“OFFICIAL: Kon Knueppel suffered a left hamstring injury and Grant Williams suffered a right hamstring injury during offseason on-court activity,” the Hornets confirmed on social media. “Both players will miss our preseason games and be re-evaluated during the first week of the regular season.”

The timing is especially unfortunate because both players entered the offseason with important roles waiting for them.

Finishing second in the ROTY race, Knueppel is coming off one of the most productive rookie seasons in recent Hornets history. The former Duke standout appeared in 81 of 82 games, starting 80, while averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists.

He also emerged as one of Charlotte’s biggest shooting threats, knocking down 273 three-pointers in his first NBA season. His hamstring injury now comes just as the Hornets need him to take another step.

With Ball gone, Knueppel was expected to play an even bigger role alongside Miller. His shooting, movement without the ball and ability to create secondary offense gave Charlotte another weapon on the perimeter.

Without him, more of the preseason scoring burden will fall on Miller and Coby White, who is expected to replace Ball in the starting lineup.

That also leaves Charles Lee with less time to develop his preferred offensive combinations. Charlotte has four preseason games scheduled, beginning October 6 against Brooklyn before matchups with Milwaukee, Boston and Memphis.

Those games were supposed to help the Hornets’ head coach test lineups and establish roles before the games started counting. Instead, he will have to do some of that work without Knueppel.

The former Duke star suffered an ankle sprain shortly before the 2025 NBA Draft Combine but recovered in time for his rookie season. He later rolled his right ankle against Orlando in December, missed one game and returned soon after.

This hamstring injury presents a different challenge. Charlotte has already ruled him out for the preseason, making his evaluation during the first week of the regular season the next major checkpoint.

Williams’ situation carries another layer because of what he has already overcome.

The Charlotte native suffered a devastating right-knee injury against the Milwaukee Bucks on November 23, 2024. He tore his ACL and suffered meniscus and other ligament damage on a drive to the basket.

NBA.com reported that he underwent surgery on December 11 and faced a projected recovery timeline of nine to 12 months.

Williams returned on January 10, 2026, against the Utah Jazz. He appeared in only 36 games during the 2025-26 season, making three starts and averaging 7.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 19.8 minutes.

Charlotte gradually used him as a reserve and occasionally at small-ball center. That role still gave the Hornets a useful mix of size, shooting and defensive versatility. More importantly, Williams had finally returned to the court after more than a year away.

Now he faces another setback, although this time it is unrelated to his surgically repaired knee. The Hornets identified the issue as a right hamstring injury and will reevaluate him alongside Knueppel during the first week of the regular season.

For a team that spent the summer reshaping its identity, the timing could hardly be worse. The Hornets moved on from Ball and Bridges to build around a younger core, with Miller, Knueppel and the rest of the roster expected to take on greater responsibility.

The good news is that neither player has been ruled out for the regular-season opener. Charlotte opens its campaign on October 21 against Brooklyn before hosting Atlanta two days later.

Their evaluations during the first week of the season should provide a clearer picture of whether either player can return immediately or needs more time.

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