NBA Trade Speculation: Sacramento Kings Should Keep and Develop Jason Thompson

Jason Thompson refers to himself as a kid on Twitter (@jtthekid) but a man on the basketball court. He is as committed to being a Sacramento King as he is a proud alum of Rider University. Thompson is a player bursting with talent waiting to develop within the organization and avoid NBA trade speculation.

Not many 6'11" players entering their fourth year have the upside potential and talent of Jason Thompson. The No. 12 pick in 2008, he has averaged 10.8 points per game in about 27 minutes per contest. What Thompson needs most is a mentor and minutes played to bring out his potential on the court.

Thompson is one of the best rebound producers the Kings have on the floor. He is also one of the few durable players participating in the majority of games played for the team over the past three year (232-246). Many NBA teams would be willing to trade for Thompson's energy and versatility on the floor.

What the Sacramento Kings have in Thompson is a potential starter capable of putting up double-digit points and rebounds for many years in the future. He was only given 39 games to start in 2010-2011 but clearly has room to grow with more playing time.

During the 2011 offseason Thompson has been working on building abdominal and full body strength to increase his inside scoring and defense. He tweets regularly about his routine and responds routinely to follower mentions.

Jason Thompson proves himself as a team player motivating his team from the court and the bench. His positive outlook on social media is evident of his prolonged commitment to the franchise that give him the chance to play at the professional level.

For the stated reasons and long term upside it would behoove the Kings to avoid trade speculation and make an equal commitment in response to the professionalism of Jason Thompson for years to come. If the Kings can avoid trading Thompson I would not be surprised to see him start 60 or more games as the fourth scoring option on the Sacramento Kings in the 2011-2012 season.