According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania and the Charlotte Hornets PR department, former first round pick Kai Jones will be away from the team for the foreseeable future. He will miss training camp due to what the Hornets are calling “personal reasons.”
Jones has drawn attention to himself this offseason with some…interesting social media activity where he’s seemingly denigrated his teammates and displayed rather erratic behavior.
He had a Tweet referencing Miles Bridges that seemed to have Bridges confused, if nothing else. He claimed he could beat LeBron one on one and boasted that he’s had a better field goal percentage than LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller “out of the womb.”
Miles Bridges reacts to Kai Jones’ tweet pic.twitter.com/WBq37RXvaW
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 25, 2023
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 🦋💕🐐🥇🌈 https://t.co/3B6bG4VN5O
— Kai Jones (@242_jones) September 14, 2023
Yes 100%
— Kai Jones (@242_jones) September 14, 2023
Just one day before it was announced that he’d be away for the team, Jones challenged a fan to play one on one.
Hornets Kai Jones exchanges DMs with a fan 😭💀
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 30, 2023
(via @OwnHimMarjon) pic.twitter.com/BXGiooKdUq
I think you get the point.
The erratic social media behavior and his separation from the team are concerning on a personal level. Hopefully he gets help for whatever he’s dealing with if that’s something he needs. The team is apparently remaining in contact with him, but for now, the Hornets will start preparations for the 2023-24 season without Jones’s services.
