There are a lot of variables for the LA Clippers heading into this season. It can be argued that no team in the league needed preseason preparation more than them, given all the new faces the Clippers have on their roster.

Ty Lue said it himself: This team isn't there yet and they still have a long way to go. There are still many questions to be answered. That uncertainty will mean the Clippers will have some growing pains this season, but it's all part of the process of reshaping a team after the departure of a star.

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, a player answers several of the questions surrounding him. Kai Jones was signed by the Clippers at the end of the 2023-24 season and was a big question mark at the start of preseason. He did not play in an NBA game last year due to some off-court issues.

Kai began the 2023–24 preseason with the Charlotte Hornets before being released by the team before their first regular season contest. It was initially unclear what Jones' future would hold as he sought therapy to improve his mental health.

Now it appears that Kai has put many of his previous distractions behind him, and his preseason performances so far are a testament to exactly the kind of basketball talent he always was. In two preseason contests, Jones is averaging 8.5 points per night and also grabbing 5.5 rebounds per game.

He does all of this while shooting an impressive 72.7% from the floor. This number is higher than that of any other player in the squad not named Ivica Zubac. Kai has shown that he can influence the game with his athleticism, which has always been one of his greatest strengths.

Jones is becoming more comfortable doing little things like setting screens, running the floor and blocking on rebounds. As he does that, his game continues to blossom. For the most part, he's had minimal options so far, but Kai has made the most of what he's been given so far.

His performance in the two preseason games was extremely encouraging, and the Clippers fan base is probably breathing a sigh of relief. With so many unknowns on this team, having Kai Jones already coming together and looking like a fringe rotation-level player is a big plus. If he continues on this current trajectory, Jones will have Intuit Dome up and running with his high-flying dunks in no time.