Los Angeles Clippers: How Much of an Impact Can Rookie Trey Thompkins Make?

The Los Angeles Clippers used their two second-round picks to draft a pair of Georgia Bulldogs. The first one they selected, at No. 37 overall, was junior Trey Thompkins.

Thompkins, a 6'10", 239-pound forward, was long considered a first-round prospect as he was selected to the All SEC first team three straight seasons. Scouts grew wary of him though, after a junior year in which he showed little improvement and perhaps even some slight regression, and he slipped to the second round.

All of Thompkins' offensive numbers fell between his sophomore and junior seasons. Particularly disturbing was the severe decline in his shooting numbers. A large chunk of Thompkins' game is perimeter-oriented, as 31% of  his shots were jumpers, yet he only connected on 29% of those attempts.

Thompkins has a refined low-post game, and a nice touch around the basket. He wastes no time making aggressive moves to the basket, and his solid footwork allows him to finish around the rim despite average-at-best athleticism.

That lack of athleticism is what will limit Thompkins in his NBA career. His below-average foot speed will hinder him in transition. He may struggle to finish over guys at the rim, which could force him to rely more heavily on his less efficient perimeter game. It will be difficult for coaches to bear with him defensively, as he does not have the lateral quickness to handle quick power forwards (the kind that the NBA has trended towards over the past decade) one on one and is slow to get out and challenge shots.

Thompkins also has questions to answer about his intensity and motor. His rebounding dipped every season of his college career, and he showed a lack of motivation on the defensive end of the floor. Thompkins also struggled to stay in shape. He had the highest body fat percentage of anyone measured at the draft combine at 15.5%. Improving his conditioning may go a long way towards improving his athleticism, but that leads you to wonder why he has not done so already.

As far as the impact Thompkins will have in his rookie campaign with the Clippers, I think he will fit nicely backing up Blake Griffin at the power forward spot. He will be an upgrade over the Craig Smith/Ike Diogu/Brian Cook triumvirate the Clippers relieved Griffin with last season.

Thompkins' well-developed skill set and deft scoring touch will provide the Clippers' second unit with a much-needed offensive boost. Playing alongside fellow backup big man DeAndre Jordan can hide some of his defensive shortcomings.

The coaching staff needs to push Thompkins into committing himself to staying in shape and showing some more effort, particularly when it comes to defense and rebounding. If he accepts the challenges of his prescribed role on the team, I think Thompkins can be a solid player who can become entrenched in Vinny Del Negro's rotation this season.