Kai Jones Out of Hornets' Camp Due to Controversial Posts

• NBA

In a turn of events concerning the Charlotte Hornets, center Kai Jones will be absent from the upcoming training camp. This decision comes on the heels of a series of perplexing social media posts by Jones, sparking concern among fans and team officials about his emotional state and well-being.

Kai Jones, the talented center hailing from the Bahamas, was the Hornets' first-round pick in 2021. Over his two-season tenure with the Hornets, he has made a substantial impact. Nonetheless, according to reports by The Charlotte Observer, he hasn't attended any optional training sessions this season.

Jones' Controversial Instagram Outburst

While Jones has made several eyebrow-raising posts in the past, such as audaciously claiming superiority over basketball legends Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James, it was a recent Instagram Live video that sounded alarms.

In the disconcerting footage from early September, a sweat-soaked Jones is seen rambling, his words barely discernible. He seems to allude to the Hornets' potential decision to trade him. ClutchPoints, a trusted sports news source, highlighted this video, amplifying its reach and the subsequent concern.

Addressing the wave of worry, Jones later clarified on Twitter, “I was not on drugs or intoxicated. I was enjoying my night in my crib y’all bugging”. Despite the player's attempts to alleviate concerns, the buzzing topic reached the Hornets' upper echelons.

Coach Steve Clifford, at a recent luncheon, expressed the team's cognizance of the matter. "We are aware of the social media posts, and it’s a situation that’s been handled internally," he stated. Now, based on recent information from The Athletic, the Hornets have decided to sideline Jones for an indeterminate period.

The implication here is a glaring absence from the training camp, with no clear indication of when he will rejoin the team. Though Jones skipped the optional training sessions during this offseason, he was seen in action during the NBA Summer League held in Las Vegas.

Over the last two campaigns, Jones participated in 67 matches, recording an average of 2.7 points per game. As the story unfolds, fans and the NBA community at large await further updates on the rising star's future with the Hornets.