PHILADELPHIA, March 8, 2024 — The Philadelphia 76ers are looking for more depth at center as Paul Reed and Mo Bamba prove to be too inconsistent amid Joel Embiid’s absence. Kai Jones is on their radar as they look to fill out the rest of their roster, which has two open spots.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported that the 76ers are planning a workout and meeting for Jones, a former first-round pick, in the coming days.
The Charlotte Hornets drafted Kai Jones 19th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft. The 23-year-old was waived by the team ahead of the 2023-24 season following bizarre behavior on social media, including a trade request. Jones recently played two games for the Bahamian national team in the FIBA AmeriCup 2025 Qualifiers, starting in both and recording 27 points, 16 rebounds, three steals and two blocks on 11-16 shooting from the field in 58 minutes across both games.
The 76ers are still awaiting Embiid’s return from a meniscus injury and have toggled with Reed and Bamba as the starting center. Neither one has been able to play consistently solid minutes, leaving Philly to often turn to lineups with forwards KJ Martin or Nico Batum playing center. Bringing Jones aboard this late in the season is risky but perhaps one of the best bets the Sixers can make for a center out of the buyout market.
At 6-foot-11, Jones’ size and athleticism make him an impactful defender, though he isn’t particularly strong at getting rebounds, an area where the 76ers need help. But he does possess a long wingspan and an impressive vertical leap, making him a good lob threat on top of being an impactful defender around the basket.
In 550 minutes with the Hornets last season — amounting to 12.0 minutes per game over 46 games — he posted a block rate of 4.7 percent and a steal rate of 1.5 percent, rates that are almost identical to what stellar big-man defenders like Embiid, Evan Mobley and Jaren Jackson Jr. have posted this season. Those numbers may have come in a limited sample with the lowly Hornets but they show that Jones can be a good change of pace from the smaller Reed and slower Bamba.
Jones does most of his scoring (and is most effective) around the rim but has shown an ability to handle the ball and hit turnaround or pull-up jumpers in the paint. While that skill is still a major work in progress and not something the 76ers would ask him to tap into regularly, it affords him some upside. His 83.6 percent shooting on shots within three feet from the basket is surely what stands out to Philly the most. Having a legitimate vertical-spacing threat could help Philly’s offense in the halfcourt and on fast breaks.
After not landing Mike Muscala in the buyout market, the 76ers still could use another center to play when Reed and Bamba struggle. Jones’ high-level athleticism makes him an intriguing option.
