What are the Kings going to do with veteran forward Kenny Thomas? Thomas, who nursed a strained back Tuesday during the team's first workout at its practice facility, certainly wanted to know.
"I have no clue as to what's going on," said Thomas, 31, who played in just 23 games last season, starting the first three. "Last year, I tried to figure out what I needed to do to get on the floor, but I never did. Nobody told me anything. I started the first three games and that was about it."
Thomas was informed that coach Reggie Theus had said a few minutes earlier that he was in the mix.
"If that's the case," Thomas said, "that makes me feel better. That's the first time I've heard that. I just want to be considered (for playing time)."
Thomas can rebound and defend the low post, he, Theus and Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie agreed. Given the opportunity, he can score, although the man probably misses more shots eight feet and in than anybody I've seen in 45 years of watching hoops.
Thomas, who didn't play after Jan. 2 last season, is the team's third-highest-paid player this season at $7.94 million. He also is on the docket for $8.55 million in 2009-10.
I first asked Thomas if he or his representative, Mark McNeil, had spoken to the Kings during the summer. McNeil and Petrie spoke early in the summer and, yes, there have been talks about trading Thomas.
Allow me to forgo some Petrie-isms and translate: We've been trying to trade him, but we can't get anything – anything – we want.
The Kings clearly are guilty of poor communication with Thomas. Just as there is no doubt, Thomas, usually as nice a guy as you'll meet, can be moody, different and sensitive.
He's the guy who is sensitive about being described as sensitive. Thomas also has been a little isolationist in the situation. The team says he works hard, yet there's no reason Thomas couldn't spend at least a couple of weeks in Sacramento during the summer and sit outside the doors of Petrie and/or Theus, if he needed to, and ask what was up.
Thomas could sit back and get paid, but he always has been a competitor and wants to play.
"I'm not done," he said. "I want to play. I don't just want to take money.
"I know I can rebound and I'm a pretty good defender. I just need to know what I best can do to help this team win."
For the Kings to have any true success this season, Theus is going to have to get somewhere near the best every player has to offer.
That includes Thomas.
Same city, different worlds
I watched West Campus defeat Mira Loma 33-0 on Saturday at Rosemont High School before probably fewer than 200 people. Then that evening, I watched Jesuit defeat Christian Brothers 20-19 at Hughes Stadium before about 14,000 to 15,000 frenzied people.
West Campus improved to 3-0 after finishing 0-10 last season and has at least one major-college player in 6-foot-2, 235-pound senior running back/linebacker Carnell Davis. His combination of speed, strength and agility is very impressive.
My bad
Last Saturday, I incorrectly read my own notes and wrote that UC Davis wide receiver Brandon Rice's father was Charles Collins, who runs the Phenom factory football camp in Southern California. Rice's father, Michael Maddox, introduced him to Collins. My apologies.
Call The Bee's Martin McNeal, (916) 326-5504.
