For a young team looking for a brighter future, it’s not uncommon to abandon all commitment to a game plan to look for something new. In many ways, the Sacramento Kings have done that, bringing in a new coach and releasing or trading nearly every veteran player on the team recently.\
However, in the midst of all the shuffling, Sacramento wanted to make one stand, and did so by exercising the options on the contracts of young up-and-comers Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson and Donte Greene.
The Associated Press reported yesterday that the Kings exercised the fourth-year option on center Hawes and third-year options on forwards Thompson and Greene, as announced by Kings’ President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie.
Spencer Hawes blocks a shot in a preseason game, right. (AP Photo)
Hawes, currently in his third NBA season, was selected by Sacramento in the first round (10th overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft as an undergraduate out of Washington. He has averaged 8.2 points (.464 FGs, .324 3FGs, .660 FTs), 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.90 blocks per game in 148 games over his first two seasons.
Jason Thompson blocks. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Thompson was selected by the Kings as a senior out of Rider (12th overall) in the 2008 NBA Draft. He averaged 11.1 points (.497 FGs, .692 FTs), 7.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game in 82 games in 2008-09, becoming just the second rookie in the Sacramento-era to play in all 82 contests.
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Donte Greene dunks. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Originally selected by Memphis in the first round (28th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft as an undergraduate out of Syracuse, Greene joined the Kings after being acquired in a trade with Houston last summer. He averaged 3.8 points (.326 FGs, .260 3FGs, .853 FTs) and 1.6 rebounds per game as a rookie in 2008-09.
The move should mean the Kings will expect a lot of growth from the trio this season, so expect a lot of playing time and focus on the development of their games.
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