Hornets Still Have No Timeline for Kon Knueppel, Coby White

Charlotte Hornets coach Charles Lee said Sunday there is still no timeline for Kon Knueppel or Coby White, three days before the regular-season opener at Brooklyn.

Neither guard played in the preseason. Lee said both have started working some contact into their on-court sessions.

"I think there's still no timeline on those guys," Lee said. "They're making really good progress. Day by day, they've stepped up what they've been able to do on the court and adding some level of contact to their workouts, as well."

On Sept. 25, the Hornets announced that Knueppel injured his left hamstring during offseason on-court activity.

Grant Williams hurt his right hamstring in the same stretch, and the team said both would be re-evaluated during the first week of the regular season.

Earlier this month, Lee said the two were trending positively and doing a little more on the court every day.

At media day on Sept. 28, Knueppel said he wants to play in every game.

He appeared in 81 games as a rookie. The one he missed came after he left a Dec. 26 game at Orlando with a right ankle injury.

Charlotte took Knueppel out of Duke with the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists while shooting 47.5% from the field, 42.5% from 3-point range, and 86.3% from the free-throw line.

His 273 3-pointers led the NBA.

Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks, Knueppel's Duke teammate, won Rookie of the Year with 412 points to Knueppel's 386. Both made the All-Rookie First Team.

On Oct. 5, the Hornets announced that White strained his left calf during training camp, which ran Sept. 29 through Oct. 2 at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, and that he would miss the preseason.

A calf injury also held up his Charlotte debut last season.

The Hornets acquired White from the Chicago Bulls before the February trade deadline. He had played 29 games for Chicago, starting 26, and averaged 18.6 points. His last game as a Bull came Feb. 3.

White went on to appear in 21 regular-season games for Charlotte.

In the play-in tournament on April 14, he hit a 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation against the Miami Heat to force overtime, and the Hornets won 127-126. Three nights later, they lost 121-90 at Orlando.

Charlotte finished 44-38 and ninth in the Eastern Conference.

Over the summer, the Hornets traded LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns. White signed a three-year, $74 million contract in July.

With White and Knueppel out, Dennis Schröder, Brandon Miller, Royce O'Neale, Naz Reid, and Moussa Diabaté started the Oct. 14 preseason game at Boston.

Charlotte committed 30 turnovers in a 114-93 loss.

Christian Anderson Jr., the 18th overall pick in June, scored 10 points in his preseason debut that night after missing two games with a sprained ankle.

Charlotte plays the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Wednesday, with tip-off set for 7:30 p.m. ET.

The Hornets host the Atlanta Hawks at Spectrum Center on Oct. 23.