The Charlotte Hornets have been without last year’s star rookie Kon Knueppel to start the 2026-27 season following a hamstring injury he sustained in the offseason. However, if Thursday is any indication, he might be getting nearer to a return to the court and the Hornets lineup.

The Hornets announced that Kon Knueppel had been assigned to their G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, for practice, suggesting that he is making progress in his potential injury return. NBA teams have frequently begun to use their G League affiliate to assign players going through injury rehab.

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Knueppel put up a solid fight against Dallas Mavericks star and former college teammate Cooper Flagg in last season’s Rookie of the Year race. It was close, with Flagg ultimately emerging as the winner.

Without Knueppel out of the lineup to begin the season, the Hornets have gotten off to a 3-2 start. They are coming off a 97-89 loss to the Detroit Pistons.

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Last year, the former Duke star appeared in 81 games, making 80 starts, at a little over 31 minutes per game. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists with splits of 47.5 percent shooting from the field, 42.5 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 86.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

When Knueppel returns to the Hornets’ lineup, he will be joining a revamped team. The organization opted to trade both LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges in the offseason, and brought in veterans Naz Reid, Royce O’Neale, Grayson Allen and Dennis Schroder.