The Charlotte Hornets and Sacramento Kings will play on Tuesday night. The Hornets have played a respectable brand of basketball this season, as they are 37-34 overall. Star rookie Kon Knueppel is battling an injury heading into the contest, however.

According to the NBA injury report, Knueppel is listed as probable to play against the Kings due to low back soreness. Charlotte has already ruled four other players out for the game. Tidjane Salaun (left calf strain), Antonio Reeves (G League two-way), PJ Hall (G League two-way) and Tosan Evbuomwan (G League two-way) will all be unavailable for Tuesday’s contest.

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Every game is important for Charlotte right now. The Hornets are 10th in the Eastern Conference standings. While they do hold a comfortable lead over the 11th place Milwaukee Bucks, the Hornets would surely love to move up in the standings before the postseason. Regardless, the team is on track to earn a play-in spot.

Kon Knueppel’s Impact on Hornets

Knueppel and his former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg are battling for the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. Whether he wins the award or not, Knueppel has impressed throughout the 2025-26 campaign.

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The 20-year-old will enter Tuesday night’s matchup with per game averages of 19.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per outing. He is shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 43.4 percent from beyond the arc.

Knueppel was selected fourth overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. It was a surprise, as Knueppel was expected to be selected later in the first round. He was still on track to be a top 10 pick, but the No. 4 overall selection was not expected for the most part.

Charlotte clearly believed in his talent and potential. The decision has worked out, as Knueppel is challenging the No. 1 overall pick, Cooper Flagg, for the Rookie of the Year honor as mentioned.

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For now, the focus is on Tuesday night’s game. Knueppel seems to be on track to play barring any setbacks given his probable status. Still, Charlotte will closely monitor the situation. The team will obviously want to avoid any potential injury setbacks with the postseason drawing near.

As for the game itself, tip-off is scheduled for 7 PM EST, as the Hornets will look to avoid being upset by an underwhelming Kings team that currently holds a 19-53 record and is in last place in the Western Conference standings.

Related: Hornets React to Kon Knueppel Making NBA History

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.