Hornets forward Kon Knueppel returns to practice amid injury concerns

To begin the 2026-27 NBA season, the Charlotte Hornets have been without three of their main contributors, two of which are starters. Thus far, Grant Williams, Coby White and Kon Knueppel have missed the first five games of the season due to injury. White is sidelined with a calf strain, while both Williams and Knueppel are dealing with hamstring issues. However, fans heard positive news Thursday surrounding the status of Knueppel.According to Marc Stein, last year's Rookie of the Year runner-up is nearing a return. Although he's been ruled out for Friday's road matchup against the Wizards, Knueppel has returned to practice, working out with Charlotte's G-League team, the Greensboro Swarm. Having averaged 18.5 points per game as a rookie, Knueppel's secondary scoring will come to the aid of Brandon Miller, who has had to do the heavy lifting as of late, scoring 30 or more points in each of the team's last three games.For more NBA content, check out the BasketBaltes podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@BasketBalteshttps://www.instagram.com/basketbaltes/This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Hornets forward Kon Knueppel returns to practice amid injury concerns