Hornets' Kon Knueppel Ends Debut Early Due to Hamstring Soreness

Charlotte Hornets guard-forward Kon Knueppel made his season debut Wednesday against the Brooklyn Nets but exited early due to soreness in his injured left leg. The 21-year-old, who missed the first eight games of the season following a hamstring strain from September's offseason activity, entered the game listed as probable before receiving an upgrade in status hours prior to tip-off. Knueppel appeared to pull up awkwardly while handling the ball early in the contest and limped off the floor in significant discomfort after dribbling the ball off his foot. He played six minutes of action against the Nets' 10-point lead, scoring three points on zero-of-one field goal shooting with perfect free throws before leaving the game. The team subsequently ruled him out for further evaluation while he continues recovery from the injury that sidelined him during preseason and early in the regular season.