The Hornets exercised Knueppel's (hamstring) third-year team option on Sunday.
Knueppel has yet to play in 2026-27 while dealing with a left hamstring injury, but it's clear he's one of Charlotte's foundational pieces going forward. Across 81 games (80 starts) as a rookie, Knueppel averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 3.4 three-pointers in 31.5 minutes, helping him finish second in Rookie of the Year voting.