After missing the first eight games of the regular season with a strained left hamstring, Hornets sniper Mog Knueppel was upgraded to available for Wednesday’s game in Brooklyn and, according to the team, will make his season debut (Link to Twitter).
Hornets head coach Charles Lee had said on Monday that Knuepel’s return was “just around the corner” and there was speculation that Wednesday would be his target date even before he updated on Tuesday to probable.
Knuppel, 21, played in 81 games last season, averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 31.5 minutes per night. The fourth pick in last year’s draft posted a strong .475/.425/.863 shooting line and became the first rookie in NBA history to lead the league in three-point shooting. He finished as Rookie of the Year, runner-up to former teammate Duke Cooper Flagg.
Knueppel is one of two Hornets starters out with injury to open the season. Kobe White returned Monday from a calf strain, but his debut didn’t solve Charlotte’s early season offensive problems, notes Rod Boone of Sporting Newswhen the Hornets scored just 91 points in a blowout loss at Detroit to drop to 3-5.
Through the first eight games this fall, the Hornets are 100.4 offensive ratingwhich ranks last in the NBA. Although the offense is not expected to be as dangerous as last year Lamela’s ball no longer leading the way, Knuepel’s return should help reinvigorate a unit that had a 118.4 rating in 2025/26, including a 119.2 mark when the former Blue Devil was on the floor.
In other Hornets injury news, onward Grant Williams was assigned to the G League on Wednesday to work out with the Greensboro Swarm, a team (Link to Twitter). Williams has yet to play this season due to a strained right hamstring, but today’s information indicates he may be nearing the end of his recovery process.