BREAKING: Hornets Waive Former 1st Round Pick Kai Jones

After weeks of questionable activity, the Charlotte Hornets officially waived their 2021 first-round draft pick.

Wednesday afternoon, the Charlotte Hornets announced that they have officially waived Kai Jones. The 19th overall pick from the 2021 NBA Draft will now find himself looking for a new opportunity. 

Jones was originally selected by the New York Knicks on draft night before being traded to the Hornets. He spent the last two seasons in Charlotte, where he saw minimal playing time. In just 9.1 minutes per game over two seasons, Jones averaged 2.7 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. 

What makes this news disappointing is the fact that Kai Jones had so much potential to improve as a Charlotte Hornet. The opportunity may not have been there for him yet, but his physical tools gave him incredible upside. 

Instead, Kai's recent actions led to his dismissal from the team. On September 7, Jones went live on Instagram and appeared to be sweating while slurring his speech. A few days later, he called out some of his teammates on X (formerly Twitter). 

While fans were left wondering what exactly was going on, the team released an official statement on September 30 stating that Jones was being held out of training camp for personal reasons. 

On Monday, he announced on social media that he was requesting a trade from the Hornets. Two days later, he finds himself looking for a new home in the NBA. 

While there is still very little clarity on this whole situation, it would appear obvious that Kai Jones is going through some type of difficulty right now. We certainly hope he is able to get whatever help he needs going forward.