There are plenty of new faces on the LA Clippers' roster for fans to be excited about. After the departure of Paul George and Russell Westbrook, it was going to be time for new contributors to step in and provide a lift to the Clippers' rotation.
Perhaps one of the most underrated additions LA has made recently is Kai Jones. Signing the athletic wing during this past season, the Clippers officially agreed to a one-year deal with Jones in July. Now, Kai will get his second NBA opportunity after beginning his professional career with the Charlotte Hornets.
Prior to media day on Monday, Jones had been taking part in the Rico Hines pickup runs at UCLA. Hosted by the Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach and bringing in all ranges of basketball talent in Los Angeles from amateur to professional, the pickup sessions are a great way for players to get some solid work in against different competition than just their own teammates in the summertime.
A video of some of Kai's highlights during the runs were posted to social media, and he appeared to be relatively impressive. The footage shows him catching and finishing a lob dunk, operating out of the pick-and-roll, and finishing on a put-back slam as well.
Y’all See Kai Jones and Kevin Porter Jr ?
— Jeylani Brown (@BrownJeylani) September 28, 2024
I’m super excited for my Clippers this season. 🔥🔥🔥
Kai Jones has to be our starting power forward @LAClippers
Absolute BEAST! pic.twitter.com/00JxAOlj0Z
Kai Jones looked impressive at a recent scrimmage
Of course, being impressive in a pickup game is far from making a big impact in a real NBA game, but I think Clippers fans will be happy to see anything of substance from Kai Jones right now. The athletic big man has not played in an NBA game in two seasons after playing entirely with the Clippers' G League affiliate last season.
In these few short clips, Kai appears to have plenty of bounce. Just from a standstill, he is going up and finishing with two hands with ease. That area of his game does not seem to have any noticeable rust for the time being. He also shows some early chemistry with Kevin Porter Jr., who he may end up getting some notable minutes next to this year.
This should be an encouragement for those who liked Jones' game during his time in Charlotte. His athletic ability is off the charts, and I think everyone knew that after he pulled off a dunk over Victor Wembanyama in 2023 Summer League. Kai may or may not be a regular contributor this year, but he seems to be making the most of his opportunity thus far.