Should Kings Lock In Jason Thompson Right Now?

JT is the type of guy that any team would want on its roster. He’s solid, has become more consistent, puts in the work, brings a positive attitude, and works on both ends of the floor. I really hope they keep him.

If JT is part of the medium-to-long term plans, you offer him a modest extension now instead of letting him test free agency. If Kwame Brown can get 7mil per year, I can see JT getting offers in the same ballpark.

because it was just one year (pretty sure if anyone else was offering multiple years at $7 million he would have a different jersey right now)

JT’s agent knows this. I don’t think he signs an in-season extension for any reasonable amount of money.

I would love to have JT back. He seems to be growing into a veteran and has been playing much smarter this year. His contributions go beyond his stats.

However, he’s a 25 year old big man. My guess is his agent will want to test the market to maximize his next contract. I doubt he signs mid-season unless the Kings off a stupid amount of money that makes JT’s agent snicker the whole time he’s signing the deal.

Just indicating 5 is not really an option here.

The really major and agregious stuff is his fouling, complaining, inability to go up at the rim, and lack of a low post game. He fouled so much and so often that it was pretty awful. Combine that with his incessant complaining about the calls and it just got old fast.

That said, I felt his worst problems were offensive. He would get the ball in the paint and always dribble once before going up. He took just enough time that he let defender get to him and create problems. To add to that he just had no low post game. He didn’t have go to moves and could not play with his back to the hoop at all. He had not ability to score with his left hand.

JT rarely takes a dribble now when he gets the ball low now. I think I have seen him do it once this season and he had several low post moves with his back to the hoop. This includes a half hook, an ability to spin into the paint, and can now switch hands to score with his left hand.

Is JT spectacular? No, but he has shown steady progress and even his footwork has improved some though anything would have been something there.

JT made solid moves, played with poise, in particular left handed hook and nice interior bounce pass.

I give him credit for making progress, but its modest progress. JT has definitely been more decisive with his moves, eliminated travels, blowing up at refs, offensive charges, silly reach in fouls…a lot of the chronic problems for 3+ years.

He is playing 18 minutes a game against mostly backups, which caters to his ability level than his 27 MPG career average against more first stringers, minutes previously rewarded by default.

But he is still sitting at career lows across the board with the exception of FG%. His FT% is horrible.

But here at StR, fans are foaming at the mouth for any indication the guy is not a journeyman underachiever.

Yet I can’t criticize JT too harshly because JJ Hickson has been really disappointing so far…but what gets me about JT is a lot of his hustle is fake hustle. He’s a hustle guy who doesn’t make hustle plays. His steal numbers, block shot numbers have been bad throughout his career. And he doesn’t draw charges. Compared to Cousins who sacrifices his body 2 to 3 times per game, JT is a matador in the paint. He doesn’t anticipate where the offensive player is going to be. He has slow reaction time and instincts for the game.

To sum up, JT is a “hustle” player who doesn’t block shots, make steals, draw charges, challenge in the paint, possess a post game, or make FTs. Is this a player who can be an integral part of success? JT is good, granted, at opportune scoring unchallenged around the hoop when his teammate draws his defender. He rebounds in his area, not outside of it.

Has JT improved? Yes. He’s in good shape, and appears mentally calmer. Do the Kings have any interest in extending him? Hell No.