Jason Thompson
Position: PF/C
Hgt: 6'11"
Wgt: 250
Age: 27
Number: 34
Nickname: JT
College: Rider
Yrs with Team: 5
Yrs in League: 5
Previous Teams: N/A
How Acquired: 2008 Draft Rnd 1 (#12)
Contract: 2013-14: $5.64mil; 2014-15: $6.04mil; 2015-16: $6.43mil; 2016-17: $6.83mil;
Strengths: mobility, hustle, rebounding
Weaknesses: finishing ability, sometimes plays too fast, not a shotblocker
Offense (Scoring & Passing)
Mobile big man that mostly makes a living as a hustle player, although occasionally spots up for a solid midrange jumper or throws in a post move that suggests he could be more. Began his career with a tendency to play the game too fast, rarely getting settled, and frequently looking awkward and off balance on his moves. But as he's settled in as a roleplayer, both patience and efficiency have soared. Still has a problem consistently finishing around the hoop, both with shaky touch and with getting a lot of balls blocked and tipped by opponents, but all out hustle frequently results in him recovering his own miss and putting it back up. Fast and fluid in the open court for a big man, and has enough skills to even occasionally lead the break. Energetic, and despite uncertain skill level inside, can overwhelm weaker or lazier opponents to big nights, although as career has gone along, efficiency has gone up while the big nights have seemingly gone down. Solid and willing passer when given an opportunity
Defense & Rebounding
Tries hard on this end of the court, but results are not always the equal of his effort. Suffered from extreme foul problems in his rookie season, leading the league in fouls, but has consistently made progress and rarely encounters those problems now. Active on defense, but not always effective, bouncing himself out of position as often as he bounces into it and has a tendency to be out of position on rotations and take bad angles. Despite his height, bigger centers often overwhelm him when he plays that position, and he's more effective at PF. Tries hard to be a shotblocker, but seems to lack length and instincts. Effective on switches where he can use his mobility to stay with smaller guards and forwards. Has the mobility to rebound out of his area, but inexplicably suffered a fall off in his normally solid rebounding rate last year.
Intangibles
A good character guy, and longest tenured member of the Kings. Steady production season to season, but can be inconsistent game to game and week to week, going through long slumps and long hot streaks. But effort is never in question, and while role and expectations have repeatedly changed for him in his career, he seems to have willingly settled in as a solid roleplaying big perhaps ideally suited to 3rd big status, but capable of starting as needed, which may in fact again be this year given the ill fitting options behind him.
Stats 12-13: 27.9min 10.9pts (.502 FG% .000 3pt% .694 FT%) 6.7reb 1.0ast 0.6stl 0.7blk 1.2TO
Stats Career: 27.4min 10.5pts (.499 FG% .038 3pt% .669 FT%) 7.1reb 1.2ast 0.5stl 0.7blk 1.5TO
NBA.com profile
Position: PF/C
Hgt: 6'11"
Wgt: 250
Age: 27
Number: 34
Nickname: JT
College: Rider
Yrs with Team: 5
Yrs in League: 5
Previous Teams: N/A
How Acquired: 2008 Draft Rnd 1 (#12)
Contract: 2013-14: $5.64mil; 2014-15: $6.04mil; 2015-16: $6.43mil; 2016-17: $6.83mil;
Strengths: mobility, hustle, rebounding
Weaknesses: finishing ability, sometimes plays too fast, not a shotblocker
Offense (Scoring & Passing)
Mobile big man that mostly makes a living as a hustle player, although occasionally spots up for a solid midrange jumper or throws in a post move that suggests he could be more. Began his career with a tendency to play the game too fast, rarely getting settled, and frequently looking awkward and off balance on his moves. But as he's settled in as a roleplayer, both patience and efficiency have soared. Still has a problem consistently finishing around the hoop, both with shaky touch and with getting a lot of balls blocked and tipped by opponents, but all out hustle frequently results in him recovering his own miss and putting it back up. Fast and fluid in the open court for a big man, and has enough skills to even occasionally lead the break. Energetic, and despite uncertain skill level inside, can overwhelm weaker or lazier opponents to big nights, although as career has gone along, efficiency has gone up while the big nights have seemingly gone down. Solid and willing passer when given an opportunity
Defense & Rebounding
Tries hard on this end of the court, but results are not always the equal of his effort. Suffered from extreme foul problems in his rookie season, leading the league in fouls, but has consistently made progress and rarely encounters those problems now. Active on defense, but not always effective, bouncing himself out of position as often as he bounces into it and has a tendency to be out of position on rotations and take bad angles. Despite his height, bigger centers often overwhelm him when he plays that position, and he's more effective at PF. Tries hard to be a shotblocker, but seems to lack length and instincts. Effective on switches where he can use his mobility to stay with smaller guards and forwards. Has the mobility to rebound out of his area, but inexplicably suffered a fall off in his normally solid rebounding rate last year.
Intangibles
A good character guy, and longest tenured member of the Kings. Steady production season to season, but can be inconsistent game to game and week to week, going through long slumps and long hot streaks. But effort is never in question, and while role and expectations have repeatedly changed for him in his career, he seems to have willingly settled in as a solid roleplaying big perhaps ideally suited to 3rd big status, but capable of starting as needed, which may in fact again be this year given the ill fitting options behind him.
Stats 12-13: 27.9min 10.9pts (.502 FG% .000 3pt% .694 FT%) 6.7reb 1.0ast 0.6stl 0.7blk 1.2TO
Stats Career: 27.4min 10.5pts (.499 FG% .038 3pt% .669 FT%) 7.1reb 1.2ast 0.5stl 0.7blk 1.5TO
NBA.com profile
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