Kai Jones has gone from being a player many do not know on the end of the Charlotte Hornets bench to making headlines for all the wrong reasons. The former 2021 first-round pick was seen live on Instagram last week claiming that the team would not trade him and based on the way he was acting, NBA fans were wondering if he was mentally stable.

Since then, Jones has claimed that he was just “enjoying his night” and was not on drugs or intoxicated. However, the Hornets big man has remained on IG with wild takes and he recently even talked down on his own teammates.

Early Thursday morning, Jones once again took to social media and raised everyone's eyebrows, as he claimed that he would beat NBA superstar LeBron James in a one-on-one game.

In addition to saying that he would defeat LeBron, Jones also made a bold claim by stating that the “new version” of himself can compete for the NBA's Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year award.

Who knows, maybe Jones can actually have a breakout third season in the league and become a star for the Hornets, but it is unlikely that this occurs. He has only averaged 9.1 minutes per game in 67 total games over the last two seasons and Charlotte seems to be more comfortable with Nick Richards and Mark Williams at the center position over him.

Through the years, Kai Jones has shown flashes of his full potential and he's been an intriguing player to watch in the offseason during Summer League. In fact, he did not back down from anyone in Las Vegas this year, as he dunked over Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs first overall pick in this year's draft.

Jones' recent rants on social media are definitely a concern for the Hornets, an organization that cannot seem to get anything right at the moment. This franchise has had to deal with multiple issues pertaining to their players and off the court drama in recent years. What is happening with Jones is just the latest issue Charlotte has to deal with.

The Hornets will not play the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron until December 28, a game Jones most definitely has circled on his calendar now.