NBA: Hornets waive Kai Jones days after he requested a trade

FILE– Kai Jones #23 of the Charlotte Hornets. Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images/AFP

CHARLOTTE, N.C.— The Charlotte Hornets have waived former first-round draft pick Kai Jones just three days after the center/forward announced on social media that he had requested to be traded.

Jones was not with the Hornets for training camp, with the team citing “personal reasons” in a statement.

The decision came after Jones displayed some bizarre behavior on social media over the last few months, which included criticism of his teammates.

The forward/center had a bizarre post on Instagram Live where he danced and rambled incoherently. He has also repeatedly stated that he’s the GOAT (greatest of all time) and plans to be MVP and defensive player of the year, along with writing that he would beat Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James in a 1-on-1 game.

Jones also wrote that he is a better shooter than two of Charlotte’s recent top three draft picks, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, saying “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.”

Then he took to Twitter to say he has “officially requested to be traded from the Charlotte Hornets.”

The 19th overall pick in 2021 out of Texas, Jones appeared in 67 games in two seasons with the Hornets, averaging 2.7 points in 9.1 minutes per game.