Mar 11, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Kai Jones (23) watches a free throw attempt during the first half against the Utah Jazz at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Westerholt-USA TODAY Sports
NBA: Utah Jazz at Charlotte Hornets
NEW YORK — The Charlotte Hornets have released center Kai Jones amid concerning social media posts.
Jones, 22, exhibited bizarre behavior on social media, including a trade request on X (formerly Twitter) earlier this week.
In September, the former first-round picked went viral when he went on Instagram Live, sweating profusely and speaking so rapidly you could hardly understand him.
“If I get that call on my phone, I will have my bye, but I don’t think that’s gonna happen anytime soon.”
He denied having been under the influence.
“I was not on drugs or intoxicated I was enjoying my night in my crib y’all bugging #GOATLIFE” he tweeted.
This isn’t a surprise, given recent events. Just before the start of training camp, it was reported that Jones would be away from the team indefinitely for personal reasons.
On October 9, Jones took to social media to request a trade. He publicly criticized teammates on social media, including LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller – stating that he was a better basketball player than teammates.
“I’ve had a higher fg% than those guys since I came out the womb and none of them can guard me so know your ball before you talk to the one in here MF,” Jones tweeted.
Jones is entering his third NBA season, and averaged 12 minutes per game with the Hornets last year. Tt’s fair to wonder if any other team will roll the dice on him
