The Hornets will begin training camp without two members of their regular rotation.
Kon Knueppel sustained a left hamstring injury during offseason work, while Grant Williams injured his right hamstring under similar circumstances, the team announced.
Both players will miss the preseason and be reevaluated during the first week of the regular season. That leaves their availability for the Oct. 21 opener in doubt.
Knueppel, the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, finished second to former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg in Rookie of the Year voting last season.
The 21-year-old averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists while appearing in 81 games. He shot 42.5 percent from beyond the arc and became the first rookie to lead the NBA in total 3-pointers, making 273.
Williams returned last January after missing about 14 months with a major knee injury. He averaged 7.0 points and 3.9 rebounds in 36 appearances while shooting 38.8 percent from three.
Knueppel started throughout his rookie season, while Williams served as a regular reserve. If either misses time after opening night, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, Sion James, Tidjane Salaun and Liam McNeeley could be among those receiving additional minutes.
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