Remember in the preseason, when Jason Thompson had a seizure every time he touched the ball on offense in anything other than a fast break or putback? In my season preview on Shock, I noted his lack of patience and his mucky, sloppy attack. Then, the regular season happened. Thompson came out scorching. All those fears about how long it'd take Thompson to learn how to play against NBA defenders subsided.

Well, it looks like the issue was just tabled for a month. Now, Thompson is a bit of a disaster with the ball. His minutes have been less consistent since Miller, Moore and Garcia all got back on the court. His game-to-game rebounding figures are down, and Kenny Natt is proving to be much more punishing upon defensive miscues than Reggie Theus ever had been. (Thompson never returned to the game after allowing that Joey Graham baseline dunk in the fourth. Immediately yanked.)

So we're in purgatory. We know Thompson can play smart basketball within his own body. We were all witnesses. But that's all ended, and we're back to Square One. We're waiting for the truth to come back, and we don't have much patience right now.

It's a completely different situation with Spencer Hawes, though: he is playing smart on offense for the most part. He is getting good looks. He isn't racking up turnovers. He's doing fine. … But he can't buy a bucket with plastic and a smile. Credit is tight! Those jumpers and lay-ups will fall, as they did before. I honestly wish Hawes would be a touch less patient, but if he keeps up what he has done all season, he'll end up in the good graces of the world.

And finally, free Donté Greene. Please. I love Bobby Jackson — and he kept the Kings in this one, to be honest. But Bobby is the shortest player on the team. And he is playing every single minute at back-up shooting guard. The defensive problems with the Kings run deep. But Jackson at two-guard is a huge, huge problem on that end. I'm not requesting that Jackson stick on the bench — but he doesn't always have to play alongside Bobby Brown. Play Jackson at the point a little, and let Greene soak up a few two-guard minutes to go with his now rare small forward burn. (And come on, if D.G. can't get a minute while Kevin Martin remains out …)