After spending the 11th pick on James Bouknight the Charlotte Hornets decided to acquire another first-round selection to get Texas big man, Kai Jones. The deal would send a heavily protected first-round pick to the New York Knicks for the19th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Jones was probably the guy Charlotte had their eye on the most during the pre-draft process as they brought him in two times to take a closer look at his game. It was also reported that the front office was ready to select him with the 11th pick but Bouknight fell into their laps to prevent that from happening.
The trade was risky as you sacrificed a future asset to bring in a very raw talent from the jump but if the front office was that confident it is now up to them to develop Jones. The “go get your talent” mentality is appreciated if followed with a proactive style.
In my opinion, the Hornets selected him thinking that he could be a very useful weapon as a center even if he spent a lot of playtime as a forward during his college career. Developing him this way is the right strategy as he could play the role of a modern big man thanks to his versatility on both ends of the floor.
When the selection was official most doubters asked themselves if it was really needed to get another center via the NBA Draft after the Hornets brought in Vernon Carey Jr. and Nick Richards just last year. Having this many inexperienced players in a crucial role does not put a team in the best position to compete as those young players are not consistent on both ends of the floor.
When Free Agency begins Charlotte will need to decide whether they want to roll with this group or add veteran centers and maybe waive one of the second-rounders from last year. The project around Jones is a long-term one and it will need patience from the front office.
Let’s now have a dive in to see how his abilities can impact the team on both sides of the floor.