Are the Charlotte Hornets ready for their close-up?
Should one-time All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball level up and talented forwards Brandon Miller and Miles Bridges stay dialed-in on the court and free from distractions off it, the Hornets at least have the talent (aside from the center position, which devolved from a strength to a weakness with some bizarre summer moves) to compete for a play-in tournament spot in the wide-open Eastern Conference.
A critical X-factor for the team this year is the integration of rookie wing Kon Knueppel, the No. 4 pick out of Duke in this summer's 2025 NBA Draft.
The 6-foot-5 small forward/shooting guard, still just 20, thrived during his one-and-done season with the Blue Devils last year. Knueppel averaged 14.4 points on .479/.406/.914 shooting splits, 4.0 boards, 2.77 dimes, and 1.0 swipes per.
The Ball/Knueppel fit could make or break Charlotte's season
Will Guillory of The Athletic posits in a new roundtable piece that Knueppel's and Ball's games are markedly different, but seems optimistic that the duo will be able to mesh together.
Guillory observes that, while Knueppel leans on the fundamentals and thrives within a system offense, Ball is more improvisational in his approach on the floor. But they could become Charlotte's new dynamic duo, if everything breaks right.
"Ultimately, I think Ball and Knueppel will fit together well," Guillory writes. "They’re both unselfish, and they each shoot it at a high level. It’s just going to be hilarious watching Knueppel hit a reverse pivot bank shot on one possession, followed by Ball tossing up a 30-footer off one leg with his eyes closed."
More Hornets news:
- Hornets cut ties with Hall of Famer's son
- Former Hornets star leaves NBA to sign contract in Europe
- Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel stuns NBA summer league with clutch three and MVP finish
- Hornets' LaMelo Ball may be too 'wild' to ever reach superstardom, insider warns