Grant Williams Makes Bold Claim About Hornets Depth After Major Trades

The Charlotte Hornets will open training camp Tuesday without Kon Knueppel or Grant Williams.

The team announced Friday that Knueppel suffered a left hamstring injury and Williams a right hamstring injury during offseason on-court activity. Both will miss all four preseason games. Charlotte plans to reevaluate them during the first week of the regular season, which opens Oct. 21 at the Brooklyn Nets.

Williams returned in January from a torn ACL in his right knee, an injury that had kept him out since November 2024. He averaged 7.0 points and 3.9 rebounds in 36 games last season, including three starts.

Williams spoke on the No Dunks YouTube channel after a summer in which Charlotte agreed to trade LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves on June 25 and Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns three days later.

"Our depth is ridiculous," Williams said. "I was talking to one of our coaches the other day, just looking at the talent on the roster and the ability to shoot the ball, I think we have a great chance to surprise a lot of people. We did lose two important players in LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, guys who are gonna make huge impacts on the teams they're about to play on."

"But replacing them with the players and the character of the guys we have coming in, I think the guys already here are gonna take a huge step," Williams continued. "Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Coby White even, from what you saw in a bench role last year and as a starter in Chicago. On top of that, I think the group is gonna really get along. That synergy is gonna bring a lot of competitive joy out. This Hornets team is gonna be very fun to watch, and it's gonna be hyper competitive."

Ball averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.1 assists in 72 games last season. He had three years left on a five-year, $203.9 million designated rookie contract. Minnesota sent Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round picks to Charlotte for Ball and Josh Green.

Bridges was entering the final year of his contract at $22.8 million. The Hornets sent him, a 2029 first-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick to Phoenix for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale, and a 2033 first-round pick.

Charlotte acquired White from the Chicago Bulls on Feb. 4. In 21 games with the Hornets, he averaged 15.6 points and shot 46.1% from the field and 39.1% from 3-point range. On June 25, the same day Charlotte agreed to the Ball deal, White agreed to a three-year, $74 million contract to stay, ESPN's Shams Charania reported. He is expected to start at point guard.

Knueppel, the fourth overall pick in 2025, averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 81 games as a rookie. His 273 3-pointers led the NBA. The previous rookie record was 206, held by Keegan Murray. Knueppel finished second in Rookie of the Year voting to Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks.

Miller averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in his third season. He played through a left shoulder injury and had surgery in May.

Reid averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds for Minnesota last season. He won Sixth Man of the Year in 2023-24.

On Sept. 22, Charlotte sent Dorian Finney-Smith to the Atlanta Hawks for Buddy Hield, Ryan Nembhard, and cash. The Hornets waived Nembhard on Saturday night. Earlier that evening, Charania reported that Charlotte is trading Hield and cash to the Bulls for Rob Dillingham, the eighth overall pick in 2024.

Charlotte went 44-38 last season, up from 19 wins in 2024-25. The Hornets finished ninth in the Eastern Conference, beat the Miami Heat in the play-in tournament, and lost to the Orlando Magic in their second play-in game.

Media day is Monday at 11 a.m. ET. Camp runs through Oct. 2 at The Citadel's McAlister Field House in Charleston, S.C. The Hornets open the preseason Oct. 6 against the Nets at Spectrum Center, with tip-off at 7 p.m. ET.