Clippers Make Controversial Signing Ahead of NBA Playoffs
By Cem Yolbulan
The NBA regular season is almost over and teams are preparing for their postseason. The Los Angeles Clippers are headed for another playoff matchup against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks and made a surprising move ahead of it.
Tomorrow is the deadline for teams to make any transactions and finalize their rosters for the playoffs. The Los Angeles Clippers took advantage of this by signing former first-round pick Kai Jones to a multi-year contract.
Clippers Sign Kai Jones To a Multi-Year Contract
Free agent C/F Kai Jones is finalizing a multiyear deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, joining their playoff roster, sources tell me and @LawMurrayTheNU. Clippers take a chance on the talented 2021 19th overall pick. The 6-foot-11 big man recently completed a 10-day with 76ers. pic.twitter.com/3U0ghlQF18
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 13, 2024
Jones is a 23-year-old big man who can play both frontcourt positions. When he was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in 2021, he was seen as one of the most athletic players in the draft class. His speed, bounce, and effortless athleticism were a very intriguing combination that caught the eye of plenty of NBA teams.
Unfortunately for the Texas product, his NBA career didn't pan out the way he intended. He was seldom used in the Hornets rotation for the first two seasons of his career and was remembered more for off-court drama.
At the beginning of the 2023-24 season, the Hornets announced that Jones wouldn't participate in the training camp due to questionable social media posts and behavior. This included calling out teammates and declaring himself to be the greatest basketball player ever.
He followed this up with a public trade request on social media platform X, to which Charlotte responded by waiving him.
Since then, he has gone public with his mental health struggles and has been attempting to make a return to the NBA. He recently signed a 10-day contract with the Philadelphia 76ers before coming to an agreement with the Clippers.
Let's hope that this is a positive turning point for Jones' journey. The Clippers can certainly use more athleticism and dynamism on the court and at his best, Jones can provide that. Let's see what he can contribute to LA as they chase the first NBA Finals in franchise history.
The Clippers currently have the second-best odds (+550) in the Western Conference to make the NBA Finals, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.