The Charlotte Hornets have confirmed that guards Kon Knueppel and Coby White will miss their 2026-27 regular-season opener against the Brooklyn Nets due to injuries.
Knueppel has been sidelined with a left hamstring strain but resumed individual on-court activities on October 20. Despite this progress, he has not yet been cleared to return to game action.
During the 2025-26 season, Knueppel averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 81 games. He made an NBA-leading 273 three-pointers, breaking Keegan Murray's previous rookie record of 206. Shooting 42.5% from beyond the arc, Knueppel earned All-Rookie First Team honors and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting.
White suffered a left calf strain during training camp on October 5 and missed the remainder of the preseason.
Acquired from the Chicago Bulls in February, White played an important role in Charlotte's late-season success, including a 19-point performance against the Miami Heat in the Play-In Tournament. He signed a three-year, $74 million contract with the Hornets this offseason.
Charlotte will begin the season without two important backcourt contributors, and no specific return timetable has been announced for either player.