Kai Jones asked out of the Hornets and was obliged.
The 22-year-old center was waived by Charlotte on Wednesday after the former first-round pick exhibited bizarre behavior on social media of late, culminating in a trade request on X (formerly Twitter) earlier this week.
“I used to pray for times like dis #GOATLIFE,” Jones wrote Wednesday on X after Charania’s report.
In September, Jones sparked concern when he went on Instagram Live, sweating profusely and speaking so rapidly that it was difficult to understand him.
After the video went viral, Jones denied having been under the influence.
“I was not on drugs or intoxicated I was enjoying my night in my crib y’all bugging #GOATLIFE” he tweeted.
Later in the month, he seemed to express the opinion that he was a better basketball player than teammates LaMelo Ball and 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,” Jones tweeted.
The Hornets, who took Jones No. 19 overall in 2021, subsequently kept Jones away from training camp, and the situation came to a head with his public trade request this week.
This has marked a major shift from July, when Jones went viral for dunking over the Spurs’ top draft pick Victor Wembanyana and spoke about how much he was enjoying NBA Summer League.
“I’m having the most fun ever,” Jones told the Charlotte Observer this past summer.
“I’m enjoying it so much. I enjoy waking up and hooping every day. That’s what I love to do. I did it in the spring leading up to this, took a little break, came back and started working out every day, every day. “That’s just what I love to do. So, I’m just hooping and trying to get the ‘W.’ That’s my life. I’ve always been doing that. I love basketball.”
Jones is entering his third NBA season, and averaged 12 minutes per game with the Hornets last year.
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