Checking in on the Development of Kai Jones

When the Charlotte Hornets traded back into the first round of the 2021 NBA draft to select Kai Jones, they knew they had a long-term project on their hands with insanely high upside.

The talented forward/center prospect out of the University of Texas was the team's second first round pick of the night. Earlier, they added another high-upside player in James Bouknight. Bouknight was viewed as a player who could provide an immediate return on investment in Charlotte, while Jones was looked at as a player who needed some seasoning before being ready to contribute in the NBA.

As the 2021-2022 season played out, neither player really had much of an opportunity to help the Hornets as most of the…