Looking ahead to the summer - Do we extend Brooks?

Yes, true, just like you saying people overate him, I hear JVG, and all the other team's announcers talking about how good he is, I hear Kobe saying he is like Parker......what I don't see are Rocket fans realizing just how special he is becomming.

Well, I think you are generalizing here, Lowry is a more crisp passer, and I concede the better of the two, but Brooks is not that far off and he is more of a scoring threat from 3pt range which Yao needs to give him space and time to operate.

Just look at Lowry's post season stats for why he is not starting PG material, when teams play defense and stop the break they force him into being a shooter, and he is bad at that.

I hear that is what you see, but I see something different, and if you look at the playoffs, where it counts, I see Lowry struggling mightily because refs stop calling his barrelling in and flopping into people, and it just becomes a bad shot or turnover.

There are some games he comes in and is pretty bad, just like Brooks, they all have bad games......I doubt anyone has great games all the time.

His shooting percentage does not show that he is good at shooting.

Lowry played against them too, come on, look at Lowry's playoffs stats they were horrible.

Lots of speculation here, Yao may not even make it back, and if he does, don't you think they will limit his minutes?

Are you kidding? Have you seen Martin in late game situations? He is NOT a dribble penetration player, he works off of screens primarily. He is NOT an end of the game player at all, unless someone else is creating for him.

See, then you are basically making our PG position much weaker, causing teams to be able to pack it in on Yao, and leaving a guy who can't shoot all alone, not to mention Yao is not going to run with Lowry....who is really a change of pace player, a bulldog, but not a starter, IMO.

Yeah, I think he comes back too, I hope so, we need him. But I think it is a one year deal, he will want a chance to start, and unless Brooks is traded it won't happen in Houston.

Landry was a good player, who may get even better, but we had players as good as he already here in Scola, and we got a very high pick in Hill in return.

If you trade Brooks, you hand the keys to a career backup PG, who can't shoot, and struggles in the playoffs because teams know this and scheme against it.

We shall see, I hope they keep all of those guys, and insert Yao.

If you keep screwing with chemistry, ultimatly you end up like Mark Cuban's Mavs, perinial underacheivers...

Teams and players need time together to gel......this team is a healthy Yao away from being a championship contender AS IS.

DD

 

What's wrong with being a Brooks lover? He has earned it. The guy has been amazing the last few weeks, and has worked hard to improve. He hasn't demanded anything, but earned every bit of playing time, and confidence that people have in him. His trajectory continues to go up. He isn't on a downward slide.

He is tough, and also shown that he can play well with Yao, during Yao's time in the first round of the playoffs last year. He fits well with the team both with and without Yao.

 

YOF can not accept the fact that the ball won't be forcefed to Yao next year.

I don't understand any of the brooks hate. Its almost like he plays for a diff team.

 

No need for dribble penetration when your drawing double teams left and right. It's more effective as long as you have Big men that can pass the ball effectively. I think Yao/Bosh combo fits that role.

The Championship Rockets did fine without THAT option unless you are saying Cassell = AB which would be wrong because Sammy was a Pass first PG.

They writing is on the wall and I'll say Lowry has more job security than AB right now. It's how Money ball works.

 

If the rox offered brooks 6yrs and 40m, that would be a win win for everyone involved. Brooks has special talents. His speed,quickness,explosion,and ability to get his feet in the paint and shoo from distance are special. He can compliment any player broughtt in as well as create and cause havoc for the defense. If the rox had better scoring opyions starting, he would've been even better. Going forward, we don't know what kind of player yao will be. He migh be so limied tthat he may become just a pick and pop guy like big z or an occasional post up guy. Brooks has kept the rockes relevant this year with tracy working out in chicago and yao drinking att sharks games. I'm not saying he's the end all be all, but for 6m per, he would be a great value for the rockets.

 

There is always need for dribble penetration, ALWAYS. The only thing Bosh is going to do over Scola is play better defensively and give you a more reliable offensive player as a backup post player. In no way will it eliminate the need for dribble penetration.

Two totally different teams, two totally different coaches, styles, eras, role players. There is no comparison here whatsoever.

yea....no

 

How many times does Scola Draw Double teams? Bosh does all the time or makes them pay.

How do you want guarding Gasol in the WCF? Bosh or Scola

DD said you NEED a penetrating Guard. That team didn't need one. Wasn't comparing. Read correctly.

Ahh, yeah. it doesn't take a genius to figure out Morey likes to sell high (Landry)

 

to get back on topic...


for 20 ppg, 9 mil a year is a deal no matter how you cut it.


as a sidebar:

my understanding of the proposed CBA agreement is that it would effect contracts across the board...meaning even players already under contract would effectively have their salary pro-rated down accordingly...

if someone could offer more insight on this *cough*BIMA*cough* it would be much appreciated.

 

The part about players having their existing salaries reduced is likely just bluster on the part of the owners. Their strategy appears to be to ask for the moon and stars (knowing that they'll never get it), and then just "settle" for the moon.

No way in hell players give back guaranteed money.

But the owners will use it to get something else out of the players union.

 

If they players are asked to renegotiate contracts there won't be basketball in 2011

 

I suppose there is some middle ground to be agreed upon.. - as is - the structure of NBA salaries leans heavily towards the players.

I am just interested to hear a scenario that really makes sense to me. simply adjusting the salary cap down doesn't really do much short term for franchises feeling the most hurt if the "pro-rate" scenario doesn't come in to effect...

the only other immediate relief I can imagine is franchises being afforded more strategic rights in releasing injured players (similar to the NFL).

 

I'll call it and say we extend him. He's had a stellar year and that Martin-Brooks duo looks to promising (especially when Yao comes back) to risk breaking up. Get R done Morey.

 

Whatever the eventual solution, it won't involve cutting existing salaries and probably will allow a "grandfathering" in of certain players' max slots (i.e., allowing existing max players to re-sign for new deals starting at 105% their prior salary, despite what the new max salary is).

I think when it's all said and done, there will be some sort of "hard-er" cap, a reduction or possibly a complete elimination of the "MLE" and similar salary cap exceptions, and reduced maximum and minimum player salaries. I still think you'll have concepts like Bird rights and restricted free agency rules stick around.

That is why 2011 salary cap flexibility will be at a premium.

 

Which is why we should neither extend Brooks (until the new CBA) nor trade him for a max contract. Now is not the time to be signing max contract superstars unless you're truly desperate (New York Knicks) or you can get a guy capable of carrying your franchise to championship contention on his own (LeBron or maybe D-Wade, not Bosh).

 

Posted this in another thread but it's relevant here:

Best case scenario, we luck out in the draft and get John Wall. Second best case scenario, Golden State gets John Wall and we trade for Stephen Curry.

Brooks + 2010 1st round draft pick + 2012 1st round draft pick + expiring contracts FOR Stephen Curry + whatever salary dump Golden State wants to make.

Check the stats.

AARON BROOKS
6'0, 25 years, 161 lbs
Season
36.1 min, 19.7 pts, 2.7 reb, 5.3 ast, 0.9 stl, 0.1 blk, 2.8 to
43.1 fg% (7.1/16.4), 38.8 3p% (2.5/6.5), 81.8 ft% (3.1/3.8)
March 2010
36.2 min, 19.8 pts, 3.2 reb, 5.9 ast, 0.9 stl, 0.0 blk, 2.8 to
42.4 fg%, 35.8 3p%, 82.7 ft%


STEPHEN CURRY
6'3, 22 years, 185 lbs
Season
35.9 min, 16.6 pts, 4.3 reb, 5.8 ast, 1.8 stl, 0.2 blk, 3.1 to
45.8 ft% (6.3/13.9), 42.9 3p% (2.0/4.6), 87.5 ft% (2.0/2.3)
March 2010
37.4 min, 19.8 pts, 4.3 reb, 7.3 ast, 1.8 stl, 0.1 blk, 3.7 to
46.1 ft%, 50.0 3p%, 92.6 ft%


For the season, Stephen Curry is better than Brooks in every category except points, turnovers, and free throws attempted. For March 2010, he's the same or better in every category except for turnovers and free throws attempted.

He's 3 inches taller, 3 years younger, 24 pounds heavier, and shoots a much better percentage in all categories. He's the best rookie out there right now (although Tyreke Evans will most likely win ROY due to his play throughout the entire season).

And at this point, if I could pick any point guard out there to head up our team for now and the future, Stephen Curry would be very high on my list due to his current production, age, and size. I'd argue that he's better than Brooks NOW and will only get better.

 

regardless of what happens, the chips will fall where they may.
I don't think the CBA agreement will limit the Rockets spending regardless of the fallout.

to my knowledge...to date, Morey hasn't extended a player before he reaches free agency, and has waited to see what the market dictates.

however, considering Morey's recent comments I would assume this tactic would change when "max/franchise" talent comes in to play. in which case he has indicated you would want to lock them up as quickly as possible...

so I guess you next question becomes...


do you think Morey considers Brooks a "Franchise" player?

 

You could have said the same thing about Rafer. In fact the Rafer defenders were always pointing out how good he was at "running the team".

This is crazy. I could say this about any number of players. Kobe Bryant's greatest asset is his ability to score. Is he easy to replace?

 

Besides, Morey could address the loss of Brooks in the draft.

 

Really? How long have you been a Rockets fan? Because this team has not had a PG as good as Brooks since Cassell.

Brooks has a special talent, glad NBA GMs and players see it.

DD

 

Aaron Brooks is a great SG in a PG's body. The only thing that Brooks does better than Lowry is score. Lowry does everything else better including lead the point. Brooks, after 3 seasons with the same coach, is still very inconsistent in his scoring. Lowry gets on the floor and immediately gets to the line, HITS HIS FREE THROWS, and puts the other team in foul trouble. I too think that Lowry is a much better asset.