NEW YORK — The Charlotte Hornets begin a new era Wednesday night against the Brooklyn Nets, and they will do it without two projected starters and a veteran reserve.
Kon Knueppel and Coby White, both expected to start, and forward Grant Williams have been ruled out of the opener as they work back from injuries. Knueppel and Williams are nursing hamstring problems, and White is coming back from a calf injury. All three have returned to individual court work, but no timeline for their return has been given.
Knueppel’s absence is the biggest blow. The former Duke standout hurt his hamstring in the offseason and sat out all of the preseason after a rookie year in which he led the NBA with 273 made 3-pointers, averaged 18.5 points and hit 42.5% from beyond the arc.
That puts more weight on Brandon Miller, who recently signed a five-year contract extension. Last season Miller put up 20.2 points a game to go with 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists while playing through a left shoulder injury that required surgery in May.
The roster looks very different from the one that won 44 games last season, the franchise’s best record since 2015-16. Charlotte traded away LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges over the summer and brought in a long list of newcomers, including Naz Reid, Grayson Allen, Buddy Hield, Dennis Schroder and Royce O’Neale.
Reid, acquired from Minnesota in the Ball deal and a former Sixth Man of the Year, averaged 13.6 points and 6.2 rebounds last season and is expected to carry a big load in the frontcourt. Charles Lee enters his third season as head coach.
Last season ended in the play-in tournament with a 121-90 loss to the Orlando Magic, one win short of the playoffs. The Hornets face three division opponents in the first week of the schedule, including a Miami team that added Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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