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Just trying to get a feel for Jason Thompson's game.

Strengths?
Weaknesses?
Resigned by Sacramento? At what price?

Good rebounder
Runs the floor well
Team player
High motor
Versatile (can play pf or center)
Use to be able to hit a 15 foot jump shot with ease, didn't see that from him this year (wasn't ever really asked to do that)
Could be a double double guy as a starter
Doesn't mind coming off the bench
Decent defender, but not great by any means
Terrible handles (can't dribble, bobbles the ball a lot, gets his shot blocked a lot)
Was a terrible free throw shooter this year which was strange cause he was decent before
Overall he is a good role player and I hope the Kings re-sign him

I'd rate his defense as subpar but he got better as a post defender last year. Also made leaps as a post threat offensively. He's a good teammate, understands his role offensively, and doesn't hurt his team anywhere except maybe with team defense. His rotations are sketchy sometimes. I think the Kings wouldn't mind re-signing him but it better not be for anything more than the MLE because he doesn't fill that shotblocker/defender role and for a team to value him as an MLE type or above you better get more out of his scoring talent, which he does have. He can be a 15 and 8 level player on the right team.

I wouldn't say he has terrible handles. He does bobble a lot, but his dribbling is really well above average for a big. We're just used to guys in Sac like Webber and Cuz who have great handles.

Otherwise, these guys pretty much hit on everything. He can really do a little of everything offensively, and is improved in individual D, but his rotations are still pretty bad.

In general, I think the thing keeping him from being a really good player is his brain. He's not dumb in a "gets caught with a hooker right outside the arena" kind of way, but he is dumb in a "I know what I'm supposed to do but my brain keeps forgetting," kind of way. But he's a really good kid that wants to do the right thing, and he's big and pretty skilled, has an outstanding motor, and runs the floor as well as any big I can think of, really.

Not much to add to the above. He's not a specialist at anything. He's not particularly bad at anything either. With minutes, he'll get you a double-double, but it will be very, very quiet. He's a great complimentary player and role player.

Anything over 5-6M/yr, I think, would be overpaying. With the roster as it is, I think the Kings will probably re-sign him unless the Maloofs are willing to actually spend money this offseason. When the only other bigs besides Cousins on your team are Hayes and Whiteside, you need a guy like Thompson. And I think he's overlooked enough around the league that we can keep him for a reasonable price, and consequently get the most value for the money our owners are willing to spend.

Any team in the league would be thrilled to have him on their roster.

We're obviously one of those teams, so I can't see any way we're not resigning him.

boogie-reke wrote:Any team in the league would be thrilled to have him on their roster.

We're obviously one of those teams, so I can't see any way we're not resigning him.

Has to have a role befitting of the price. Depends on the price, best case is probably the Kings retaining him on his QO.

Interesting. Sounds like he would be a good fit for what Dallas would like to put next to Dirk at center - good size, athletic, good rebounder, solid defender (though ideally he's closer to Tyson Chandler, which sounds like he isn't).

If Dallas offers something around 5 years, 45 million, is that too much for him? Would Sacramento match? Do you see him as a good fit next to Dirk?

Thanks for the info.

No, he's nowhere on the same planet as Chandler defensively. He really doesn't bring any kind of shotblocking presence. Even his man D is improved from being really bad. It's merely okay now, I'd say.

I'd honestly guess there are better options for you guys. Anything over the MLE would be too much for him, so 5 years/45 mil would be way too much for him. I would be shocked if we matched that, but even more shocked if someone initially offered it. You guys are probably better off looking somewhere else. I think JT's ideal future is as a team's 3rd big.

I could see us resigning with us or another team for about 3 years/21 million.

He's a really nice third big on a good team and fourth big on a contender due to size and skillet.

pillwenney wrote:No, he's nowhere on the same planet as Chandler defensively. He really doesn't bring any kind of shotblocking presence. Even his man D is improved from being really bad. It's merely okay now, I'd say.

I'd honestly guess there are better options for you guys. Anything over the MLE would be too much for him, so 5 years/45 mil would be way too much for him. I would be shocked if we matched that, but even more shocked if someone initially offered it. You guys are probably better off looking somewhere else. I think JT's ideal future is as a team's 3rd big.

Pretty much agree, but I think he could start on a team needing a skilled player at PF. He always seemed like the kind of player that you could find playing next to Shaq or a dominant big.

He's definitely not a full time center pointguard01 and an awful fit next to Dirk if you're looking for a defensive player in the mold of Tyson Chandler. JT is a skilled big, a taller Brandon Bass is probably closer to a player you would know that you could compare to.

I love Jason's game. I think he's the perfect 3rd big in a quality big man rotation.

Pointguard01 wrote:Interesting. Sounds like he would be a good fit for what Dallas would like to put next to Dirk at center - good size, athletic, good rebounder, solid defender (though ideally he's closer to Tyson Chandler, which sounds like he isn't).

If Dallas offers something around 5 years, 45 million, is that too much for him? Would Sacramento match? Do you see him as a good fit next to Dirk?

Thanks for the info.

As mentioned he probably isn't what Dallas needs. I'm guessing that you have seen quite a bit of the Thunder lately so a fairly equivalent player would be Nick Collison.

That said, I'm hoping that we resign him. I think that he is undervalued in Sac because of his lackluster rookie years. If players like JT were easy to come by you wouldn't see so many crappy frontcourts out there (see eastern conference playoffs)

xx_skaterdude_xx wrote:I could see us resigning with us or another team for about 3 years/21 million.

My god, if anyone signs JT for $7 million a year, they are crazy. There is no way he gets more than a mid level. I mean, he is good, but disapears way too often. 9pts 6 reb isn't great...

He's a role player, and unless that role player is a shotblocker/defender those role players will always disappoint teams if they overpay.

Strengths? He can do a little bit of everything, and I mean EVERYTHING (except threes). He's a great role player with a high motor. He can play PF or C.

Weaknesses? Although he's pretty big and gets a few blocks, no one is intimidated by him at the rim.

Resigned by Sacramento? At what price? I really hope they resign him, but I don't know at what price.

Yep!

Jason Thompson is a good role player.

If he played in the big market, he will cost 8-9 million. Luckily, I think we can nab him with the MLE.

My problem with him is he like said before - he just repeats too many of his mistakes and has these brain freezes.

I mean, he took strides - but he can't play consistent "every possession matters" basketball to me at a high level (and his overall defense needs to improve for him to be really valuable(even without the shotblocks), which he has all the tools to be - but again the mental part I think prevents him to