The Charlotte Hornets season took a sharp turn for the worse this week. Two key players hit the injury report with the same nasty strain. Dennis Schroder will sit out a minimum of two weeks, whereas Kon Knueppel is sidelined for a month. The franchise hoped the new roster could cover the loss of their star, but that plan is falling apart fast.
Same Injury, Different Timelines
Both players suffered a left hamstring strain during recent games, according to Yardbarker. The team confirmed the diagnoses in separate updates. Knueppel finally returned to play on Wednesday against the Brooklyn Nets. He managed just under six minutes before pulling up awkwardly and leaving the court. Now he faces a re-evaluation in four weeks. Schroder played in the first seven games and played two as a reserve before sitting out Friday’s matchup. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks per the team statement. The same injury hitting two starters at once is a massive blow.
Offense Stalls Without Key Pieces
Charlotte has won only three of its first ten games. The offense has been terrible to watch this year. The team is currently the worst offense in the entire league. They stand as the only squad with an offensive rating below 100.0. Their net rating sits at -14.2, which is the second-worst mark in the NBA. This number trails only the Chicago Bulls. Losing Knueppel hurts even more since he was a key piece of the offense. He placed second in the Rookie of the Year voting during the previous season. Schroder had stepped up as the fourth-highest scorer and leads the team in assists. The backcourt is short and the team’s scoring has been low.
Things got worse on Sunday evening with news about another star. Brandon Miller will miss the game against the Cavaliers due to a right hip strain. Eurohoops reported that the franchise gave up LaMelo Ball in the summer. They believed the rest of the group could handle the load.
Knueppel’s injury appears to be a re-aggravation of a strain from the preseason. The initial injury occurred during an offseason on‑court activity. Schroder has been traded nine times in his career before landing here. Neither player saw the court during the 119-80 rout against the Boston Celtics on Friday. The year began with a disappointing 3-7 run for the Hornets. The team will face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night.
