The Bee's Jason Jones reports that the Sacramento Kings are near a deal with restricted free agent Jason Thompson. No terms have been reported, though previous Bee reports pegged the Kings' offer at a starting salary of $6 million (meaning in all likelihood a four-year, $26.7 million contract or a five-year, $34.5 million deal).

If there's a deal now, it's either because J.T.'s camp (led by agent Leon Rose, a real NBA power broker) has decided the market isn't in love with No. 34 or because the Kings raised their offer to lock in the player who will a major part of the big man rotation with DeMarcus Cousins and Thomas Robinson.

Thompson plays both frontcourt positions, and started 47 games next to Cousins last season. (He actually only played 10 percent of the team's center minutes. Keith Smart used him there primarily in short spurts.) In 26 minutes per game, he averaged 9.1 points and 6.9 rebounds, and shot 53 percent from the floor.