The Hornets have struggled to get their offense off the ground to start this season, partially due to the injuries that many core members have faced. Those woes have intensified, as Kon Knueppel and Dennis Schroder have both been diagnosed with left hamstring strains and are expected to miss multiple weeks, the team announced in two separate Twitter posts (Twitter links).

Knueppel, one of the most exciting players in the impressive 2025/26 rookie class, missed the first eight games of Charlotte’s 2026/27 season as he worked his way back from a hamstring injury suffered in the preseason. He then returned for the Hornets’ game against the Nets on November 4, but managed to play just under six minutes before re-aggravating the injury.

He missed the following matchup against the Celtics and was diagnosed with a left hamstring strain. The team has now revealed that he will be out for at least four weeks and will be re-evaluated after that time.

Schroder started the first seven games for the Hornets as Coby White worked his way back from his own calf strain and came off the bench the following two games, once White had returned, before missing Friday’s game against the Celtics. He will miss at least two weeks with his left hamstring injury before being re-evaluated.

To make matters worse, Brandon Miller, who has been the team’s most reliable offensive player, will miss Monday’s game against the Cavaliers as he has been diagnosed with a right hip strain, according to Hornets reporter Rod Boone (Twitter link).

After a strong offensive 2025/26 season that saw them rank fifth in offensive rating overall, the Hornets have been the worst offense in the league this season. They are the only team in the league with an offensive rating below 100.0, and their net rating of -14.2 is second-worst in the league, ahead of only the Bulls (-17.5).