During Joel Embiid’s prolonged absence, the Philadelphia 76ers supposedly added some depth at the center position. Embiid is the current NBA MVP.
The Sixers will sign former Charlotte Hornets center Kai Jones to a 10-day contract on Friday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The New York Knicks selected Jones with the 19th overall choice in the first round of the 2021 draft, and they promptly moved him to the Hornets.
Following two seasons in Charlotte, Jones declared on social media in October that he wanted to be traded, and two days later the team dismissed him. The message has since been removed. Before Philadelphia expressed interest in him, he remained unclaimed and unsigned for the whole season.
Jones had a workout with the Sixers last week, and it seems the team liked what they saw. Throughout his 67 games, the 6’11” big man has averaged 2.7 points and 2.0 rebounds in 9.1 minutes of play, but Philadelphia will require much more from him.
Following Embiid’s meniscus injury, which necessitated surgery, the Sixers have collapsed, dropping to sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a 36-29 record after losing 12 of their previous 19 games. They will need to put together a winning run in the last stretch if they want to escape the play-in round because the Miami Heat (35-30) and Indiana Pacers (37-30) are closing close.
On Thursday, Philadelphia will play the Milwaukee Bucks (42-24). Jones’s signing is expected to become official on Friday, and on Saturday he will play his first game for the Sixers against his former Hornets squad.