Kon Knueppel Likely to Return vs. Nets: What It Means for Grayson Allen, Others

The Charlotte Hornets were without Coby White, Kon Knueppel, and Grant Williams before the preseason even began. White just returned on Monday against the Detroit Pistons. Williams remains without a timeline, but Knueppel is probable for tonight's game against the Brooklyn Nets.

That means that the Hornets will have their preferred starting five for the first time this year. Knueppel will be eased in like White was, but he will undoubtedly start and play a fair amount of minutes. What can we expect from him, and what does it mean for others?

What to expect from Kon Knueppel

While it's not his NBA debut, Kon Knueppel will be facing a similar ramp-up to this level of competition. He hasn't played a game since April, and he missed the preseason, which is valuable for getting a rhythm.

In those first few NBA games, Knueppel shot well but didn't pop off. Don't expect his usual 20 points with four made threes tonight. He will probably be rusty, and he won't be playing with LaMelo Ball to set him up with good looks.

He's probably going to be inefficient, like everyone else on this roster, for a little while before everyone gets their bearings playing together. That could lead to a disappointing stat line, but don't panic. It's only one game fresh off an injury.

I wrote yesterday about how impressive the numbers were with White, Knueppel, and Brandon Miller on the floor together last year. We won't see that right away, but probably soon.

What this means for Grayson Allen and Sion James

Charlotte Hornets guard Grayson Allen (8) is guarded by Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Obviously, the usage for Grayson Allen and Sion James is going to go down. However, for a while, it won't go down much, and it's likely that Allen's usage won't dip much at all. He's been quite good, shooting at a 69.6% true shooting percentage.

James, on the other hand, probably can't see his role reduced fast enough. He has the second-worst net rating among regular players (so excluding Hannes Steinbach, Liam McNeeley, and PJ Hall). His defense has been decent, but his offense has been ugly. He's got a dreadful 37.9% true shooting.

James will still be out there to play defense, but he will probably be used in different lineups. He'll probably be out there in situations where he should only shoot if he has the ball with one second on the shot clock. That's where Knueppel comes into play.

With Knueppel and Allen available, the Hornets can put one of them out there in any lineups that might also feature James, and those two can simply absorb the roughly six shots a game James is getting up.

Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter for the latest news and updates on the Charlotte Hornets

Add us as a preferred source on Google