Knueppel Could Be Back Before the Back-to-Back Is Over

Kon Knueppel missed the season opener with a hamstring injury and has been out since, but Charlotte sent him to practice with their G League affiliate Thursday, and the timeline is tightening. He's still listed out for Friday's game — the first of back-to-back contests — which means the second game is the realistic target if things go well.

The Hornets are navigating this stretch without a lot of margin. The guard rotation as it stands runs through Dennis Schroder and Grayson Allen, with Sion James behind them. That's a workable group, but Knueppel was expected to be part of the picture here, and his absence has stretched things a bit thin earlier in the year than anyone wanted.

Hamstring injuries tend to dictate their own schedule, so the G League assignment is the right move — get him some live reps in a controlled setting before putting him back in an NBA game. If he comes through Thursday without issue, the conversation about the second night of the back-to-back gets more interesting.