Just eight picks after selecting James Bouknight with the 11th overall pick, the Charlotte Hornets made a big trade with the New York Knicks, sending a future first-round pick for the 19th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. With that pick, the Hornets took Texas center Kai Jones, who many draft experts projected to be picked by the Hornets at 11 since they have such a pressing need at center. The chance to give something up and take him at 19 might turn out to be an incredible transaction.
At 6-foot-11, 218 pounds, Jones played power forward at Texas and only began playing basketball just five years ago. However, Jones had a solid sophomore year, averaging 8.8 points and 4.8 rebounds to win the 2020-21 Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year award.
The Hornets were in desperate need of a center and the trade for Mason Plumlee before the draft was not going to be the final answer. After years with Cody Zeller and Bismack Biyombo running the center spot, Jones gives Charlotte a big man that can potentially shoot and run the floor. He shot 58% from the field and 38% from the three-point line last year with the Longhorns. Jones has also proven to be a good defender with the ability to switch onto guards with his versatility.
In most other drafts, Jones could likely be a top 10 pick, so the fact that he slid all the way to 19 was the perfect storm for general manager Mitch Kupchak to pull the trigger and send one of the future first-round picks he’s smartly kept during the last two trade deadlines to New York.
There is still plenty of room to grow for Jones and instead of the Hornets signing a center to a large contract in free agency, they now have a player that is young and can develop and go head-to-head with the top versatile centers in the NBA.