Kon Knueppel Sympathizes with Fans Over Wild Charlotte Hornets Trades

The Charlotte Hornets shook up their roster this offseason, surprising fans, analysts, and even some of the players. Sion James, who spent just one season with LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, called it a "shock to the system."

He's not the only one who's been asked about it. This is a huge change for the Hornets, and despite only having been around for one season, like James, Kon Knueppel gave his take, and he sympathizes with fans who are upset.

🎙️ Kon Knueppel on the big Hornets trade and his mindset going forward:

"Definitely a change. I think for fans it's a little tough, just with like, 'Man, we saw some success and we kind of saw it with that team,' and I think the front office made the decision like, 'Man, maybe… https://t.co/B9hERZkgKI pic.twitter.com/Zrw1vNc81t
— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) July 8, 2026

"Definitely a change. I think for fans it's a little tough, just with like, 'Man, we saw some success and we kind of saw it with that team,' and I think the front office made the decision like, 'Man, maybe we don't see this long term.' So, I don't know if 'weren't convinced' is the right word, but they just wanted to move in a different direction," the Rookie of the Year runner-up said.

But while it may be surprising, there's nothing he can do about it at this point. "Business as usual" is what he called it, saying he has to move forward and continue to improve. There is one caveat to that, though. They simply can't play like they did last season anymore.

Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Kon Knueppel (7) drives to the basket against Miami Heat forward Simone Fontecchio | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"Obviously, we just have different personnel. I don't know, I like the group we got coming in. I'm excited. We got shooters out the wazoo, so that'll be fun," the former Duke product revealed. He's not the only lights-out three-point shooter on the roster anymore.

But despite all the changes, Knueppel feels as if this is a good Hornets team. I feel like we can build off what we did last year and just keep getting better. I think that's the focus for us as individuals, just keep getting better each day, working on our games. But going forward, I feel good about where we are at as an organization," he concluded.

Knueppel's life will change dramatically. He will have to be on the ball more, and he'll have to become a little more of a creator. His usage rate will rise, and his historic efficiency will probably dip with higher usage and less playmaking around him.

That said, he has an offseason to adjust his game and work on those things, and it sounds like he's still excited for what the future holds, even if he understands why some fans may not share that sentiment.

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