The Development of Thompson/Hawes

[KF10]

So, the Kings season is finally over. We now can explore various options and moves that can be beneficial for this franchise over the summer but lets take time to analyze and reflect Hawes' sophomore season and Thompson's rookie season.



Jason Thompson:

08-09 Season (Rookie)

11.1 PPG
7.4 RPG
1.1 APG
0.7 BPG
0.6 SPG

50% FG
70% FTs




Spencer Hawes:

08-09 Season (Sophomore)

11.4 PPG
7.1 RPG
2 APG
1.2 BPG
0.6 SPG

46% FG
35% 3s
66% FTs

-------------------------------------------------
Thompson (Rookie Class Rankings):

2nd Rank in Offensive Rebounds per game (2.9 ORPG)
2nd Rank in Offensive Rebounds Totals (235 Offensive Rebounds)
3rd Rank in Rebounds per game (7.4 RPG)
3rd Rank in Rebounds Totals (606 Rebounds)
3rd Rank in Dbl-Dbls (17 Dbl-Dbl)
5th Rank in FTs attempts totals (284 FTAs)
6th Rank in FTs per game (3.5 FTPG)
7th Rank in FTs made totals (198 FTM)
T-9thRank in Scoring (11.1 PPG)

Just for fun:

1st Rank in Personal Fouls (3.8 PFPG)
1st Rank in Personal Fouls totals (310 PFs)

Hawes (Sophomore Class Rankings)

2nd Rank in Blocks per game (1.2 BPG)
3rd Rank in Blocks totals (93 blocks)
3rd Rank in Rebounds per game (7.1 RPG)
3rd Rank in Offensive Rebounds per game (1.9 ORPG)
3rd Rank in Offensive Rebound totals (148 Offensive Rebounds)
4th Rank in Rebounds totals (549 Rebounds)
4th Rank in Dbl-Dbls (14 Dbl-Dbls)

Thompson (After All Star Break):
12.3 PPG
8.6 RPG
1.3 APG
1.0 BPG
0.6 SPG

52% FG
67% FTs

Hawes (After All star Break):
14.0 PPG
8.5 RPG
2.5 APG
0.7 BPG
0.6 SPG

51% FG
34% 3s
58% FTs

So, what are your guys thoughts about these guys? I will give my analysis probably later or whatever about these guys...

EDIT:

Here is a nice video about Thompson/Hawes by kingsflix:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KctN_UtWsNU

[pillwenney]

I'm pretty excited. I really don't think either will ever be a franchise player, but both can be very, very good. That's a good video.

[Smills91]

Comparing them against their respective classes is interesting. It goes to show that each is producing consistently in the top 5 in most categories, which makes them well-balanced players with a lot of promise. I think we have a lot to look forward to with these 2.

[artest420]

They can be franchise bigs if they get a good playmaker. hawes and thompson will be better than the david west and chandler combo, chris paul just makes them a good team. better than the cavs bigs, they just have james. if we get wall or rubio we they can be the main bigs on a really really good team. we just cant expect them to be duncan or KG.

[cdt3]

JT has great touch off the glass on the low blocks, can get to the basket against anyone, has a very reliable jumper, gets to the FT line a lot, is a very good rebounder, and is not intimidated by anyone. All in his rookie year. He still needs to learn to pass more and play better team defense.

Hawes has a great touch anywhere and range to the 3, is a really good rebounder, the guy has so many moves around the basket I lost count, is a really good shot blocker and is a very good passer. All at the age of 20. He still needs to work on his getting to the FT line more, and play better team defense.

And both are the perfect fit in the Princeton. Down the stretch in April JT had 14/10/1.5/1.3blks on 11 touches a night and Hawes put up 16/9/1.4/.9 in 15 touches a game. These guys if used correctly (each needs 15 touches a night) with the right PG are going to put close to 40/20/6/3 a night. I am very excited about the future with a better fit of a coach and premier PG.

[darkadun]

JT: Early on, he looked like a rookie, just kinda lost out there & rushing things. He feels alot more comfortable now, its obvious. His defense has picked up, and I like his fouls. He gets some cheap ones right now, because he isn't respected yet, but I think that will change. His jumper has improved alot. This last stretch of the season, if someone gives him room, he bury's a mid range jumper over the top of them. He's also shown he can drive right around them and get to the hoop. If he can develop a nice little hook shot ala CWebb, he'll be a handful.

Hawes: Drastic improvement this year. And it was apparant from day one. During that first 5 game road trip to start the season, Hawes was the best player for the kings. He has a sick jump shot, with a quick release. If he can do this consistently, it'll be deadly. His post moves improved greatly as well. He has a number of moves, going to his right or left with either hand, and he didn't seem to back down from bigger centers, like shaq or yao ming. Even yao was impressed with.


This last stretch of the season, it seems like Thompson/Hawes are meshing togeather, and thats important for the future.

[artest420]

JT: Early on, he looked like a rookie, just kinda lost out there & rushing things. He feels alot more comfortable now, its obvious. His defense has picked up, and I like his fouls. He gets some cheap ones right now, because he isn't respected yet, but I think that will change. His jumper has improved alot. This last stretch of the season, if someone gives him room, he bury's a mid range jumper over the top of them. He's also shown he can drive right around them and get to the hoop. If he can develop a nice little hook shot ala CWebb, he'll be a handful.

Hawes: Drastic improvement this year. And it was apparant from day one. During that first 5 game road trip to start the season, Hawes was the best player for the kings. He has a sick jump shot, with a quick release. If he can do this consistently, it'll be deadly. His post moves improved greatly as well. He has a number of moves, going to his right or left with either hand, and he didn't seem to back down from bigger centers, like shaq or yao ming. Even yao was impressed with.


This last stretch of the season, it seems like Thompson/Hawes are meshing togeather, and thats important for the future.

Thats what im yelling at the TV every game when they forget about him. He got that one game agianst the heat where he was a monster in the 4th, sent it into OT and was one shot away from winning the game. besides that it was forget about hawes to let douby or whatever garbage they had take the game winning shot. Douby-flop, Martin-not clutch, Garcia- confident, but not as good as he thinks he is. Theres no reason not to let hawes be a bigger factor in crunch time.

[KM44]

I was an admitted Thompson hater this year, but as the season went on, I really started to see the potential inside of him. I was always tough on him because I knew he had the potential, he just never showed it, but he really came through as a starter and I'm very excited to see what he can do next season.

Hawes was spectacualr. He looked like a potential bust last season at times, and this year he's going to look like a surefire solid starting center in this league for a while.

Improvements:
Thompson- fouling!!! He needs to learn how to play D with his feet more than his hands. He should also really work at finishing around the basket the first time, because he likes to bounce the ball around when he's near the basket, and he really needs to learn how to get the shot down on the first try.

Hawes- overall defense. He bulked up tremendously from last year, but he has to learn how to be quicker on D and use his size to prevent stronger players from pushing him around. He also needs to work on shot selection. It vastly improved near the end of the season, but he has to learn that it's better to have martin shooting three's than him. His shot is great for a center, and it will help him tremendously in this league, but he still has to find his favorite shot and stick to it. (ie webber's elbow jumper or Vlade's 12-14 footer).

[KF10]

I wonder what are their workout plans during the summer.

Hopefully, we see Hawes gaining muscle mass thus establishing legitimate position in the post against bigger players. I want see JT a bit more bulk up too.

[Nicky Nix Nook]

I would like to see Thompson work with Webber.

[cdt3]

Me too, CWebb would help with the shotblocking, passing and team defense. That goes for Donte also.

[Wolfay]

Spencer really has the potential to be the best C in the league. He's already proven to be more than a match for the likes of Shaq and Yao. People talk about Howard and Bynum now, but soon they'll be talking about Spencer and no one else.

Thompson will be something special as well, but I don't see the explosiveness and killer extinct in him that Webber had, so I think any comparisons to Webber are bit off base. I see him playing a lot like Shareef once did before he was traded here.