Kings extend qualifying offer to Jason Thompson

[VF21]

[FONT=&quot]FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Monday, June 25, 2012 [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]KINGS EXTEND QUALIFYING OFFER TO JASON THOMPSON[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]​

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[FONT=&quot]SACRAMENTO, CA ----[/FONT][FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]The Sacramento Kings today extended a qualifying offer to Jason Thompson, making him a restricted free agent, according to Kings President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Thompson averaged 9.1 ppg (.535 FG, .602 FT), 6.9 rpg and 1.2 apg through 64 outings with the Kings last season, of which he started 47. He was selected by Sacramento with the 12th overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft and is averaging 10.5 ppg (.498 FG, .663 FT), 7.2 rpg, and 1.3 apg over his four-year career.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its right of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent, the team must tender the player a qualifying offer prior to June 30. A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team, but is subject to a right of first refusal with the team for which the player last played.[/FONT]

 

[upinsmoke]

Great news.

 

[ElRey]

I agree with this move

 

[matthew76]

I am Matthew76, and I approve of this message.

 

[kennadog]

Good job.

 

[ParniValjak]

No surprise really!

It was always going to happen. Hopefully we re-sign JT to a reasonable long term deal.

 

[DesertFox]

I'm thinking some team will offer 4-5 years for 30mil which I would match in a heartbeat. Depending on how the draft goes I'd be willing to go up to 8 mil/year.

 

[jcassio]

Good job for now, but that doesn't mean I want him on the team next year. JT's a low BB IQ guy on a team that is desperately in need of IQ. He rebounds well and runs the floor well, but everything else needs improvement.

 

[DesertFox]

Good job for now, but that doesn't mean I want him on the team next year. JT's a low BB IQ guy on a team that is desperately in need of IQ. He rebounds well and runs the floor well, but everything else needs improvement.

Maybe you didn't watch this year, but he was pretty much everything you could ask for from a 3rd big. He cut his fouls on D, and took high percentage shots. He could have taken a lot more jumpers (which he wasn't bad at) but played the garbage role on a team full of eager shooters.
Defensively, he still got overpowered in the post at times, but I would say he's average and trending up.

He's not the ideal fit next to Cuz, but he's a perfect piece for any team that wants to be good. He can stay out of the way on offense, has the skills to do more if necessary (when Cuz is out), and is good off the court. Definitely still room for growth as he can regain his FT touch and improve on D, so it's a low risk as long as you don't pay him like an all star.

 

[=LarryLegend=]

I'm thinking some team will offer 4-5 years for 30mil which I would match in a heartbeat. Depending on how the draft goes I'd be willing to go up to 8 mil/year.

most years another team can offer is 4.

 

[ParniValjak]

Good job for now, but that doesn't mean I want him on the team next year. JT's a low BB IQ guy on a team that is desperately in need of IQ. He rebounds well and runs the floor well, but everything else needs improvement.

For a 3rd big man what do you expect?! Bill Russell type player?!

JT is as good a 3rd big man as a team could hope for. He can be very successful in that role on a contending team. In fact there wouldn't be many 3rd big man that are better than JT.

Our problem is that for us he is a starter. That is not Jason's problem. That's a problem for Kings organization to address. JT is a classic 3rd big (1st big off the bench) energy guy who comes in and gives you good 25 minutes a night.

 

[kennadog]

I think JT is fine off the bench. He also seems to be a good character guy.

 

[Glenn]

Good job for now, but that doesn't mean I want him on the team next year. JT's a low BB IQ guy on a team that is desperately in need of IQ. He rebounds well and runs the floor well, but everything else needs improvement.

You are hard to please. He isn't a star and the Kings don't need a star at every position. Last year, at the beginning when the team was shooting terribly, he was the only one shooting at a rate expected of his position and that was about 53% Cuz was about 45% and our two best guards were the only other players shooting over 40% and that was MT and Tyreke at about 41%. I don't need to spell it out much further but he seemed to be the only player unaffected by the team slump. Thsat's worth something as he held around that percentage all the way through the season.

 

[lwc]

1st step in what is hopefully a great off-season.

 

[mac]

The only thing I expect of him is for him to improve his FT shooting. He's been decent there till last season so hopefully it was just an aberration. Other than that he's all we need as a 3rd big.

 

[Spike]

How many players do we have to accuse of having a low bball IQ before we realize the problem is coming from somewhere else? JT is a solid player, and a big that we need terribly right now. Take a look at the roster. He doesn't try to play above himself, and we need someone like that at the 4. Hopefully he ends up being the 3rd big, but he is hardly a problem.

 

[King Baller]

I hope JT is back with the Kings next season and on a reasonable 4 year deal. JT works hard and he has added a left handed shot around the basket that improves his ability to score dowm low.

Starting or coming off the bench his effort is steady and that is rare these days. He is a keeper.

KB

 

[Shabazz916]

We better keep him. The heat would have snatched him up quick.

 

[Dime Dropper]

Yeah, JT will make a great 3rd big. He does everything you need from that spot. He also doesn't complain or try to do too much, and works hard every off-season to improve. As long as the price is right, we should definitely keep him.

 

[Uncia03]

I think JT has proven that he has a place in this league and is about as good as you can hope for when it comes to 1st big off the bench.
I don't see a team putting together a massive offer, so if things play out as they should, we should match any offer that comes along and see him on the team next season.

Does anyone happen to know the deadline to which a team can put together an offer for a restricted free-agent?

 

[Peter_Gibbons]

Great move and an expected one. JT is a good player and we need bigs as is.

 

[Dreadnought]

I'm thinking some team will offer 4-5 years for 30mil which I would match in a heartbeat. Depending on how the draft goes I'd be willing to go up to 8 mil/year.

And this is why you don't work in the front office.

 

[DesertFox]

And this is why you don't work in the front office.

This team will have to live by the draft and restricted free agency. A 25 year-old big with good size, motor, and skills is as low risk as it gets. And you already know he fits in.

 

[Quix]

love JT. glad this happened.

 

[jcassio]

Maybe you didn't watch this year, but he was pretty much everything you could ask for from a 3rd big. He cut his fouls on D, and took high percentage shots. He could have taken a lot more jumpers (which he wasn't bad at) but played the garbage role on a team full of eager shooters.
Defensively, he still got overpowered in the post at times, but I would say he's average and trending up.

He's not the ideal fit next to Cuz, but he's a perfect piece for any team that wants to be good. He can stay out of the way on offense, has the skills to do more if necessary (when Cuz is out), and is good off the court. Definitely still room for growth as he can regain his FT touch and improve on D, so it's a low risk as long as you don't pay him like an all star.

The "perfect piece for any team that wants to be good?" I think that's a stretch. IMO, JT is a below average defender with the possibility of becoming average. He consistently fails to move his body in order to protect the basket and/or stay in front of his man. Sometimes he cheats on defense in order to go after the rebound. As I said, he has some good qualities, but his BB IQ and his defense are below average, as is his FT % (which dropped the last 2 years). That makes him an NBA player with strengths and weaknesses, but not a great 3rd big. An OK 3rd big. The thing I like about JT the most is that he's our version of an iron man. He also seems to be a good citizen. So overall, I won't be too disappointed if he's a King for the long haul. But I'm not riding high thinking he's "perfect" for us.

 

[VF21]

The best thing about Jason is his game has noticeably improved. After working with Clifford Ray for only a short time, he quit doing that annoying dribble when he received a pass deep inside and started just going for the hoop while he had the ball up high.

Jason will continue to improve for the simple reason he's aware he needs to do so. It's one of the things that separated him from Donte.

 

[rainmaker]

Jason Jones ‏@mr_jasonjones
Petrie said Jason Thompson remains the top proiorty for the Kings in free agency.


I have a question about this. Didn't Petrie say a few times recently getting a shotblocker was a key need this summer? If so, why is retaining JT a top priority as he somewhat duplicate what TRob does, and neither will fill the shotblocking/intimidator role. TRob is fine, if the 3rd big is a defensive big. But going out and resigning JT to 6M+ hurts our flexibility in getting defenders at PG/SF/backup C, and means even if we got a defensive big there wouldn't be many minutes for him.

A possible Cuz/TRob/JT/Hayes quartet offers zero rim protection. We need an intimidator to backup TRob/Cuz. I do not like thi statement from Petrie. So, did Petrie forget what one of our biggest needs are, which he's singled out multiple times recently?

 

[mac]

Jason Jones ‏@mr_jasonjones
Petrie said Jason Thompson remains the top proiorty for the Kings in free agency.


I have a question about this. Didn't Petrie say a few times recently getting a shotblocker was a key need this summer? If so, why is retaining JT a top priority as he somewhat duplicate what TRob does, and neither will fill the shotblocking/intimidator role. TRob is fine, if the 3rd big is a defensive big. But going out and resigning JT to 6M+ hurts our flexibility in getting defenders at PG/SF/backup C, and means even if we got a defensive big there wouldn't be many minutes for him.

A possible Cuz/TRob/JT/Hayes quartet offers zero rim protection. We need an intimidator to backup TRob/Cuz. I do not like thi statement from Petrie. So, did Petrie forget what one of our biggest needs are, which he's singled out multiple times recently?

Maybe Marcus Thornton wrote him a letter, giving his assurance of making 1st team all defense next season.

 

[ESP47]

Jason Jones ‏@mr_jasonjones
Petrie said Jason Thompson remains the top proiorty for the Kings in free agency.


I have a question about this. Didn't Petrie say a few times recently getting a shotblocker was a key need this summer? If so, why is retaining JT a top priority as he somewhat duplicate what TRob does, and neither will fill the shotblocking/intimidator role. TRob is fine, if the 3rd big is a defensive big. But going out and resigning JT to 6M+ hurts our flexibility in getting defenders at PG/SF/backup C, and means even if we got a defensive big there wouldn't be many minutes for him.

A possible Cuz/TRob/JT/Hayes quartet offers zero rim protection. We need an intimidator to backup TRob/Cuz. I do not like thi statement from Petrie. So, did Petrie forget what one of our biggest needs are, which he's singled out multiple times recently?

If we got a defensive big and there weren't many minutes for him, doesn't that mean Thompson is a better player? If you can't play well enough to get minutes then you aren't as good a defensive stopper as you think.

 

[The_Jamal]

Jason Jones ‏@mr_jasonjones
Petrie said Jason Thompson remains the top proiorty for the Kings in free agency.


I have a question about this. Didn't Petrie say a few times recently getting a shotblocker was a key need this summer? If so, why is retaining JT a top priority as he somewhat duplicate what TRob does, and neither will fill the shotblocking/intimidator role. TRob is fine, if the 3rd big is a defensive big. But going out and resigning JT to 6M+ hurts our flexibility in getting defenders at PG/SF/backup C, and means even if we got a defensive big there wouldn't be many minutes for him.

A possible Cuz/TRob/JT/Hayes quartet offers zero rim protection. We need an intimidator to backup TRob/Cuz. I do not like thi statement from Petrie. So, did Petrie forget what one of our biggest needs are, which he's singled out multiple times recently?

Hassan Whiteside?