Kenny Thomas: The $8.7 Million Scout

by Ziller on May 13, 2009 12:27 PM PDT in NBA Draft Comment 29 comments

Kenny Thomas is more of an ethereal being in Sacramento these days. He's just ... out there, somewhere, working hard to ensure he'll get a veteran's minimum contract in 2010, occasionally chirping at whichever Kings head coach is currently bending him over the bar of injustice.

But, um, he's inserting himself into the physical realm it seems. From Chad Ford's draft round-up:

[Blake] Griffin wasn't the only guy working out in San Francisco. Three other prospects, UConn's Jeff Adrien, Stanford's Anthony Goods and Blake's brother, Taylor, were also prepping for the draft. They were joined by former Mavs second-round pick Nick Fazekas and Sacramento Kings forward Kenny Thomas. [...]

Coach [Bob] Hill said [Griffin]'s 6-foot-10 in shoes, though if I were to guess, I'd say 6-foot-9. He was noticeably taller than Kenny Thomas, who's listed as 6-foot-7. Either way, I don't think it's going to matter [...]

Thomas and the Kings front office have a horrid relationship, so I'm sure this is just K-9 making himself available as a physical sparring partner for Griffin and the other prospects. Thomas has been reportedly working hard in the gym for more than a year. If nothing else, this will get his name out there a little bit. (See: this post.)

The elder Griffin also sounds intriguing. His passing skills at Oklahoma impressed me. Granted, most of the passes were to his brother, who happens to be a pretty dang good target. But size, skill and a massive work ethic (which apparently runs in the Griffin family) -- that's not a bad combination of attributes, you know?

You should probably read the rest of Ford's column. When I read lines like "when it comes to workouts he is fiercely competitive, focused and anxious to push himself as hard as he can" I'm reminded of the last star the Kings drafted, Kevin Martin.

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The Griffin brothers AND the Thompson brothers?

Donte? Donte'! Donté?!?!
'spect da 'xtra E'

by iashwash on May 13, 2009 1:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Woof!

Peaches is an idiot.

by what_the_crap on May 13, 2009 1:12 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

K-9

Can’t we receive ball out money for him? He meets all the criteria of being a poisonous asset that cannot be sold.

by bignerd on May 13, 2009 1:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Gee Blake Griffin is trying to make himself seem as attractive as possible during the NBA draft

What a shock that is. I’m happy for the kid no matter what happens. He sounds like he truly cares.

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on May 13, 2009 2:08 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m happy for the kid no matter what happens

So, then, if he gets hit by a bus, or bitten by a rabid chipmunk. . .

Ok, people, let's generate all the good Karma we can until May 19. Then you can go back to your shallow and empty lifestyles.

by LeaguePassAddict on May 13, 2009 2:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're picking on me again

Which makes me know you care. Thanks.

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on May 13, 2009 2:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

/gag

by betweentheeyes on May 13, 2009 3:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was thinking the same thing

Then I realized that your draft stock can’t really go up when you’re the consensus #1.

by furious.d on May 14, 2009 9:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nothing bad can happen from us getting the 1st or 2nd pick

We will either take Griffin or Rubio with those picks. The 1st pick we’ll get a choice. The 2nd pick will be a formality.

by Aykis16 on May 13, 2009 3:13 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Love this line:

“Many top picks at this time of year are getting fitted for their suit on draft night and flying around the country trying to ink endorsement deals. Griffin is an exception. He’s more concerned with dominating right out of the gate.”

by Citadel 29 on May 13, 2009 3:25 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Those are the signs

of smeone who really wants to be the best
- and knows the rest will take care of itself.

So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on May 14, 2009 12:08 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

not exactly news...

but I heard Jerry Reynolds on KHTK this morning say there is clearly one consensus first pick…as he put it “a future star” he also made it clear that a 17 win team can NOT pick for need… everyone on this team is subject to competition from the players drafted this year…. thus, i think any belief that the Kings might take Rubio with the first pick is wrong.

by longtimelistenerfirsttimecaller on May 13, 2009 4:02 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree

Listening to Petrie has swayed me. My theory that the Kings would take Rubio was cute, but I’m becoming pretty sure Griffin would be the Kings’ No. 1 pick.

by Ziller on May 13, 2009 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I gotta disagree with that regarding Petrie

(I didn’t hear Jerry on the radio, and had I known he was on, I would have listened. I’ve also heard Jerry mention that their is a consensus #1 pick, though.)

He said there was a class of two players, and after that was a dropoff. Now regarding who those 2 players are, it could not be Rubio. There’s no guarantee. And, even though there is a less of a chance that it’s not Griffin either, that could be true too.

I’m going to quote Petrie off the audio:

We’re going to be in position in that top 5 to have the best chance, potentially, and I say potentially, get an impact player up in there depending on where you pick and end up going. I do think that after 1 or 2 players that it gets a little dicier. But that’s one of the reasons we do all this work, and hopefully make a good decision.

Chad Ford mentioning Griffin with regards to his ball handling and jump shot is nice. Those are all things that will help him in the NBA. His talking about “needing” to get better on defense. He’s doing the same kind of things that Greg Oden did before the 2007 draft. Kevin Durant did other types of things before the draft, didn’t do as well as physically, and well, I’m not saying Durant will be that much better than Oden, but, umm, yeah I am.

The point I’m making is that workout’s and statements by Jerry Reynolds aren’t a great indicator of whom the Kings will take. I listened to that interview by Petrie twice (and I’m going to listen to it for the third time) in the hopes of learning something I didn’t know before.

Keep in mind something here. If the Kings mention they’re so hot to trot for Rubio, it may hurt them in any negotiation where they get the 3rd or 4th pick and have a chance to move up. I’m not saying it would hurt them completely, but what’s gained by saying “Oh yeah if we got the 1st pick we’re talking Blake Griffin.” It doesn’t.

The other part that I’m sure Jerry is trying to combat is the idea that the Kings need Rubio because of the bigger hole @ PG. We’ve already discussed this fallacy before too. But, most fans aren’t as aware as many people here are. (As I’ve been told by a few people here.)

If I’m wrong. Roast my ass on Truxel and burn me in a campfire. But, in this particular case, I don’t think I am. I think by the 2nd week of June, though, that we will know which player it is. Unless the Kings get 3rd or 4th in the draft. And, then we won’t know until draft day.

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on May 13, 2009 5:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I do agree with some gamesmanship going on by the king's office

If we get cowbell gated again by getting the 3rd or 4th pick we have a better shot of trading up if we don’t publically drool over Rubio. With nobody likely trading away Griffen we could bundle a guard and a pick or two to trade up.

I don’t want to seem hypocritical pining for Rubio when you graciously or sarcastically ;) punctuated our last diatribe but I don’t see anyone else in the top ten that I can get excited about.

I wish there were some centers to get excited about just in case Hawes goes down. Anyone see pick 31 having a center as the bpa. Pooke I am ready for you to burn me at cal expo where my latest arena dreams have seemingly died.

by SactownheartOChouse on May 13, 2009 10:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry pookey

I think there’s a lot of wishful thinking clouding your viewpoint when discussing Griffin v. Rubio.

I don’t see this as comparable to Oden v. Durant, since Griffin’s pedigree is much better than Oden’s, and Durant’s is much better than Rubio’s (IMO).

Question: What kind of bear is best?

by otis29 on May 14, 2009 6:50 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's not really comparable to Oden vs Durant

I was just pointing out that people got down on Durant during the interview process when he was busy doing a lot of other things besides only obsessing about being the #1 pick.

I can appreciate that Blake Griffin is obsessed at making himself better. I really can, and in a way, if the Kings pick him I hope my fears is stupid bullshit.

That being said listening to Petrie I didn’t feel he was saying something that broke new ground EXCEPT for he felt the draft was deep in PF’s. That was something that I hadn’t seen mentioned before.

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on May 14, 2009 6:55 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I see it differently

This quote in particular:

after 1 or 2 players that it gets a little dicier

The “1” in that sentence makes me think whether Rubio is in Griffin’s class or in the dicier portion is up to debate. I think he’s in Griffin’s class, but that’s some public uncertainty from a guy going overseas on the questionable player’s behalf for the second time in three weeks.

by Ziller on May 14, 2009 9:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't blame you

We’ll see how it works out in the end.

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on May 15, 2009 3:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heard the interview too and I agree with you guys

To be fair to both sides of the argument (Griffin vs. Rubio), Griffin is done with college and has the time to start preparing for the draft and show people around the league he means business. Rubio is not even done with his season in Spain so he hasn’t had the time to concentrate on the draft. That’s why we keep hearing so much more praise for Griffin IMO, and that is in no way me trying to underplay how hard he is working and how impressive he looks.

by eduardo_m7 on May 13, 2009 5:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I still think

You can’t pass up on Griffin with the number 1 pick. A solid low post scorer with a incredible touch is a player you have to take #1.

I also hope Memphis, Washington or Oklahoma City get the number 2 pick because that open up trade avenues for the number 2 pick and we can get Griffin and Rubio.

BOOK IT!

by kingme18 on May 13, 2009 9:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs