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NBA Sacramento Kings

Sacramento Kings Should Strongly Consider Trading Jason Thompson

By @JosephMCrevier

Sacramento Kings

Rocky Widner-Getty Images

When Vivek Ranadive was introduced as the new majority owner of the struggling Sacramento Kings franchise, he immediately made his mark by acquiring Rudy Gay and his costly salary from the Toronto Raptors. Though Sacramento hasn’t made a trade since the Gay trade, Ranadive has remained in discussions to possibly upgrade the roster further and compete for a top playoff spot.

The less-than-desirable location of Sacramento has posed a serious disadvantage in attracting star players via free agency, so Ranadive has adopted to mindset of trading for undervalued players who are on bad contracts. Targeted players have included Rajon Rondo, Deron Williams and Josh Smith, though Rondo is unlikely since he has already stated that he will not re-sign in Sacramento.

As for Williams and Smith, both players have three years remaining on their respective contracts, leaving them no choice if they were in fact to be shipped to the Kings.

Jason Thompson in particular has found himself amidst trade rumors as a result of the rising salary cap and the emergence of DeMarcus Cousins. With three-years and nearly $20 million remaining on his current contract, Thompson is a solid backup big man who is capable of recording a double-double each night. Though he excels more offensively, primarily in the post, the seventh-year PF has quietly turned himself into a decent defender, something he struggled to do early on in his career.

With career stats of 9.8 PPG, 49.8% FG and seven RPG, a team in need of frontcourt depth would be foolish not to inquire about obtaining Thompson’s services. As for Sacramento, the frontcourt duo of Thompson and Cousins is simply not meshing together very well. Cousins’ vast array of post moves have planted him within the paint for the majority of offensive possessions, leading to a drastic dip in Thompson’s numbers. Since his mid-range game is below average, Thompson basically becomes irrelevant on offense, allowing defenders to double-team Cousins more often.

Also, Sacramento acquired former second overall pick Derrick Williams early last season, and the forward has displayed some encouraging signs in limited minutes. Although Thompson is currently the longest-tenured Sacramento King, shipping him away would thus allow Williams to step into an opportunity to develop.

Joseph Crevier covers the New York Knicks for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, @JosephMCrevier, and Facebook or add him to your network on Google.

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