The Charlotte Hornets already know how long they’ll have to go without Kon Knueppel on the floor. And the news isn’t particularly hopeful. The team from North Carolina has announced that the guard will miss at least four weeks of competition due to the left hamstring injury from which he re-injured himself while attempting to return, making an already troubled season even more challenging.
Knueppel could only log six minutes on the court before heading to the locker room, turning what should have been a night of optimism into a hard blow. Coach Charles Lee’s squad began the season with serious offensive struggles and a 3-7 record, and now, with six straight losses, their season is in increasing danger of becoming virtually unsalvageable once Kon returns.
With 99.7 points per 100 possessions, Charlotte currently posts the worst offense in the NBA not only this season but in the last decade. One has to go back to the 76ers of the 2015-16 season, in the midst of The Process, to find another team so offensively inefficient, a drastic drop compared to the lively Hornets that drew many with their pace and devastating attack less than a year ago.
And, while the LaMelo Ball trade has undoubtedly played a significant role, it’s also obvious that Knueppel’s absence is a key factor.
Charlotte’s hope now rests on trying to reclaim the best version of Coby White, who, with his return, should have helped improve things but has looked at a markedly poor level that makes it hard for him to have any positive impact. As the guard works to regain his rhythm, perhaps his production will rise and Coach Charles Lee’s squad will manage to straighten, at least slightly, the course. Until then, the prospects seem slim.
