Kai Jones would apparently like a change in scenery. Jones, the No. 19 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft out of the University of Texas, has spent the entirety of his professional career as a member of the Charlotte Hornets. But on Monday afternoon, Jones took to Twitter and announced that he has formally requested a trade.
I have officially requested to be traded from the Charlotte Hornets. #GOATLIFE
— Kai Jones (@242_jones) October 9, 2023
It’s unclear if Jones went to the front office and expressed that he wants to continue his career elsewhere or if his tweet is his trade request. At the end of September, the Hornets made the decision that Jones would indefinitely be away from the team for personal reasons. This came on the heels of some some posts on social media where he, among other things, claimed he was better than a pair of his teammates, LaMelo Ball and 2023 first-round pick Brandon Miller.
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
He sent similar tweets where he backed himself against Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James, and spoke glowingly about the “new version of me.”
Listen man that’s in the past this new version of me is MVP and DPOY in here over and over
— Kai Jones (@242_jones) September 14, 2023
Jones is about to enter his third season in the league, and has spent some time over the last few years with Charlotte’s G League team in Greensboro. In all, Jones has appeared in 67 NBA games across two seasons and averaged 2.7 points and two rebounds in 9.1 minutes per game while connecting on 56.7 percent of his attempts from the field.