Kai Jones requests trade from Hornets
Over a week after it was reported that he would be away from the team indefinitely, Charlotte Hornets center Kai Jones has requested a trade from the organization, he announced on Twitter Monday.
Jones, 22, was going to be away from the team for personal reasons, but would remain in contact with the organization; this all came in lieu after Jones’ social media posts went viral, where he belittling teammates and made questionable comments.
At the time, according to Hornets beat writer Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer, the Hornets were aware of Jones’ social media activity and were not willing to publicly address it further.
Jones, a former first-round pick, has averaged 2.7 points and two rebounds on 56.7 percent shooting over his first two seasons. He tallied 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game on 75.0 percent shooting (81.7 percent true-shooting) in 14 games (13 starts) with the Greensboro Swarm last season.
Jones is still expected to earn $3.1 million after the Hornets picked up his third-year option, though the Hornets can decide to decline his $4.7 fourth-year option by October 31.
According to Article VI of the newly-signed CBA, any player who requests a trade on behalf of themselves could be fined $150K or suspended. Since Jones is already away from the team, who knows how long he would be suspended if that were to be the punishment.
Perhaps the biggest question would be what team would be willing to take a flier on the 6-foot-11 big because of recent events. But as we’ve seen in today’s NBA, for better or worse, all it takes is one team.
(P.S. I always think about how Furkan Korkmaz has requested a trade away from the Philadelphia 76ers twice and still hasn’t been granted the opportunity. Payton Pritchard with the Boston Celtics, too, to a certain extent.)
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