http://www.sacbee.com/100/story/419342.html
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
His shot is back, and the coach is not.
As Kenny Thomas sees it, Kings training camp comes with a smile for those reasons alone.
The veteran forward showed off his fixed shooting form and once-absent accuracy at Saturday's morning practice, then gave a candid look back and hopeful look forward to a season ahead.
The veteran forward showed off his fixed shooting form and once-absent accuracy at Saturday's morning practice, then gave a candid look back and Thomas is one of three Kings players who can opt out of their contracts next summer, adding individual importance to what is already a season of high collective stakes. On the surface, it seems unlikely that he would leave the more than $16 million on the table from the next two seasons. But the unsettling nature of last season was enough to make most every player re-evaluate his current station, although Thomas just might be optimistic again about his.
For the moment, he's waiting like everyone else to see if his starting power forward spot is still his after the offseason signing of forward Mikki Moore. But beyond the big picture, he is simply relieved to have order in the building after a season of so much chaos under former coach Eric Musselman.
"I'm not going to say his name anymore -- that guy," Thomas said of Musselman. "It just wasn't a fair situation for all of us. I think everybody's numbers dropped last year, from Brad (Miller) to Shareef (Abdur-Rahim) to Mike (Bibby)."
And while Reggie Theus is his eighth coach in nine seasons, Thomas said he's encouraged thus far. "I like ... how he's coming in here and saying he's going to hold every individual accountable for his mistakes," Thomas said. "That's one thing that we lacked last year. If something happened, (Musselman) was taking me out regardless, even if it wasn't my fault. That's all I ask -- hold every individual accountable."
Thomas also appears to have recaptured some of his offensive game. The midrange jumper that Kings swingman John Salmons remembers may be back. But last season, a hitch had developed in Thomas' shot and a lingering injury on his right shooting shoulder only made it worse.
By season's end, Thomas was gun shy and off-target from the field and shot a career-worst 51.3 percent from the free-throw line. His 5.3 points per game was approximately half his career average.
This summer, Thomas said he spent two weeks working on his form at his New Mexico alma mater.
"It's normal again," Thomas said of his shot. "It feels good to be able to go into the free-throw line and actually shoot it with confidence. It was killing me because I'd never been through anything like that in my life."
The shooting struggles, or the season.
By Sam Amick - Bee Staff Writer
His shot is back, and the coach is not.
As Kenny Thomas sees it, Kings training camp comes with a smile for those reasons alone.
The veteran forward showed off his fixed shooting form and once-absent accuracy at Saturday's morning practice, then gave a candid look back and hopeful look forward to a season ahead.
The veteran forward showed off his fixed shooting form and once-absent accuracy at Saturday's morning practice, then gave a candid look back and Thomas is one of three Kings players who can opt out of their contracts next summer, adding individual importance to what is already a season of high collective stakes. On the surface, it seems unlikely that he would leave the more than $16 million on the table from the next two seasons. But the unsettling nature of last season was enough to make most every player re-evaluate his current station, although Thomas just might be optimistic again about his.
For the moment, he's waiting like everyone else to see if his starting power forward spot is still his after the offseason signing of forward Mikki Moore. But beyond the big picture, he is simply relieved to have order in the building after a season of so much chaos under former coach Eric Musselman.
"I'm not going to say his name anymore -- that guy," Thomas said of Musselman. "It just wasn't a fair situation for all of us. I think everybody's numbers dropped last year, from Brad (Miller) to Shareef (Abdur-Rahim) to Mike (Bibby)."
And while Reggie Theus is his eighth coach in nine seasons, Thomas said he's encouraged thus far. "I like ... how he's coming in here and saying he's going to hold every individual accountable for his mistakes," Thomas said. "That's one thing that we lacked last year. If something happened, (Musselman) was taking me out regardless, even if it wasn't my fault. That's all I ask -- hold every individual accountable."
Thomas also appears to have recaptured some of his offensive game. The midrange jumper that Kings swingman John Salmons remembers may be back. But last season, a hitch had developed in Thomas' shot and a lingering injury on his right shooting shoulder only made it worse.
By season's end, Thomas was gun shy and off-target from the field and shot a career-worst 51.3 percent from the free-throw line. His 5.3 points per game was approximately half his career average.
This summer, Thomas said he spent two weeks working on his form at his New Mexico alma mater.
"It's normal again," Thomas said of his shot. "It feels good to be able to go into the free-throw line and actually shoot it with confidence. It was killing me because I'd never been through anything like that in my life."
The shooting struggles, or the season.
