It’s been a drama-filled week for the Charlotte Hornets amid an up-and-mostly-down season, but rookie Kon Knueppel has been a steadying presence in the storm. K

From trade rumors swirling around LaMelo Ball to a disappointing loss against an injury-depleted Pacers squad, it’s been a turbulent week for the Charlotte Hornets.

As it hasn't been rare to see Knueppel drop a 30-piece on a team for the Hornets this season, he is averaging 22.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game in his last nine contests. Another comparison that Haberstroh would mention that some could see as a higher ceiling is Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker.

Charlotte Hornets' Kon Knueppel is the most impressive rookie in the NBA according to one NBA veteran who has played against Cooper Flagg and others.

The Charlotte Hornets’ season is spiraling, but nothing has shocked fans more than the dueling narratives surrounding LaMelo Ball’s future. One report claims the 24-year-old star is frustrated and open to a trade.

Neighbors stood in their driveways, snapping pictures, as a busload of Hornets players parked nearby. Unable to get a hard headcount of attendees from their son, Knueppel’s parents, Chari and Kon Sr., had prepared 15 pounds of chicken fajitas, the menu item that had become the family's go-to when it hosts Super Bowl parties.

The Charlotte Hornets have lost six of their last seven games yet are road favorites against the Indiana Pacers, who are 1-13 and on an eight-game losing streak

Although they aren’t whole because of the absences of Brandon Miller and Tre Mann — along with the likes of Grant Williams and Josh Green — losing to one of the worst teams in the NBA and trailing by as many as 24 points qualifies as the low point of their early season.