Work in progress : Jason Thompson

Jason Thompson's basketball career had been a progression. In each of the smooth power forward's four years at Rider and his first two NBA seasons with the Sacramento Kings, Thompson's numbers increased as his playing time did.

But in the wake of the Kings taking big man DeMarcus Cousins fifth in last June's NBA Draft, Thompson's role and production have decreased in 2010-11.

To make things even more frustrating for the former Lenape High School star and the No. 12 pick in the 2008 draft, the Kings are 16-50 - and just 9-26 at home - heading into tonight's game against the 35-33 Sixers after going 27-55 last year. And Thompson was also the subject of several trade rumors earlier this season.

"It's been tough, at times," said Thompson, calling Wednesday after a team shootaround. "I'm such a competitor. This is some adversity I've never been through before. There were things I couldn't control. It's just how things go in life.

"I was so well-prepared for the season. I had a really good training camp and preseason. I want to do so much more and I'm not able to. I guess you could say it's a learning experience. I'm just trying to finish the season strong. But the situation could be worse. I'm blessed to be in the NBA."

Last spring, the 6-foot-11 Thompson envisioned many years as one of the Kings' core players. Now, he's not so sure.

"You never know (what the future holds)," Thompson said. "You always want to have that storybook ending where you spent 10-plus years with the team that drafted you and it ends with more success. It's not like that all the time.

"For me, it's going to be an interesting off-season. I'm looking forward to the exit meetings (after the finale) to see what direction they're going to go."

"(Leaving) would be devastating to people in Sacramento," Thompson said. "(Going to Anaheim) would be another transition. Who knows what happens with that?"