Kon Knueppel Return Could Fix Hornets’ Ugly Offense

The Charlotte Hornets offense looks broken right now. They rank 30th in the NBA with a rating that trails the next worst team by 3.5 points. It is hard to watch a squad with so much shooting talent fail to score. Brandon Miller has tried to carry the load, but he cannot do it alone. The team has three wins, yet the underlying numbers show a major problem that needs fixing immediately.

Hope is finally on the horizon for the Hornets. Coby White has returned to the lineup, and Kon Knueppel is close to making his season debut. Charles Lee told reporters on Monday that Knueppel’s return is imminent, even if a specific date remains unclear. “Nothing specific. He’s right behind Coby [White],” Lee stated before their home matchup versus the Detroit Pistons. The coach added that Knueppel’s return is “right around the corner,” according to DaShawn Brown writing on X. This timing could not come any sooner for a team that has struggled to put points on the board.

Previous Numbers Show Explosive Potential

Don’t let the current bad start fool you. The numbers from last year when White, Knueppel, and Miller played together are mind-boggling. Zach Roberts at Sports Illustrated noted that this trio posted a 134.2 offensive rating while shooting 44.7 percent from three-point range. When Miles Bridges was kept off the floor with this group, the offensive rating jumped to 147.6. These stats suggest that the Hornets offense is not beyond saving if these three can stay on the court together.

Knueppel missed the first seven games of the season due to a left hamstring strain suffered in September. He has been working hard to get back in shape and recently practiced with the Greensboro Swarm. Per Yahoo Sports, ESPN’s injury report had moved his estimated return date to November 9 after he was ruled out for the Pistons game. The team assigned him to the G League for practice, a standard move for players working back from injury. His shooting prowess is exactly what this offense needs to find its rhythm again.

A Trio That Changes Everything

The combination of White, Knueppel, and Miller is the key to unlocking the Hornets’ potential. Last season, this group showed a net rating of +25.8 when LaMelo Ball was on the bench, proving they can generate offense on their own. Including Miles Bridges in the data set showed an even higher net rating of +37.6 when he was not on the floor. It is a tiny sample size, but the results are too good to ignore. The Hornets moved on from Ball because they felt this trio could handle the load.

During the 2025-26 campaign, Knueppel posted a historic rookie year averaging 18.5 points per game while setting a new record for the most three-pointers made by a rookie. He shot 47.5 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from deep. Now that he is close to returning, the offense should see a fair margin of improvement. The Hornets defense has been solid at 11th in the league, but the offense ranks dead last. Adding Knueppel’s shooting to White’s playmaking and Miller’s scoring creates a nightmare for opposing defenses.