Aaron Brooks, Backup PG

I like your comments. I don't think the Spurs would have hesitated to use him as a backup instead of Vaughn and Damon if he were a solid option.

I do feel that Adelman will use him as the initial backup to Rafer instead of Brooks because of his experience,size and 3 point shooting.
His main asset is of course going to be his shooting. I also see Rafer and Barry being together on the court at the 1 and 2 respectively when Tracy is on the bench.

 

Its called winning games. Theres an old saying, you can't win a championship in November but you can sure lose one. The idea of Brooks starting is a bit r****ded, he hasn't shown anything to merit such and looks like a questionable choice at times for starting for our summerleague team. You have T-Mac, Artest, Yao and Scola as starters, do you really think a scorer is whats needed on the floor next to those guys? How about a distributor? People see the shots Rafer misses and think Brooks could knock those down, but teams are not going to play him that way. They'll deny him jumpshots and force him into the lane with the bigs where he's a blocked shot waiting to happen. Hes so small that guards can play behind him and get their hands on mid range jumpers and drives. He's effectively T.J. Ford then not Chris Paul, you let him tour the lane and dribble out wasting time on the shot clock as you try to reset and get into the offense again. Until he can show an ability to get fouls and finish baskets going up against the trees he's just a project that you can't afford alot of on the job training for whose size makes him a liability on defense.

 

Hopefully Brooks will have developed enough consistency to lock up the back up PG role. Otherwise we will be looking for another veteran back up to replace him in the line up just like Bobby Jackson did last year. Brooks certainly won't be starting unless there are injuries to other players.

Rafer as a primary scoring option on a team is bad. But Rafer as the 5th scoring option on a team is completely acceptable. No one is going to argue that there aren't better PG's than Alston in the league, but realistically unless you are trading for an All Star level PG, you aren't likely to improve significantly for what you would have to give up in a trade. I mean we won 20 games in a row with Alston playing a huge role in that streak. Now you add Artest, and re-add Yao Ming to the lineup, and Rafer should be more than sufficient as the 5th option.

 

Personally I see Barry taking Luther Head's minutes more than playing back up PG. I just don't think he can defend an opposing PG any more at his age.

 

I agree he can't defend an opposing PG anymore either. I want to see him as a backup 2 not a backup 1. I just have this feeling that Adelman will give him the 1st shot as a backup 1 instead of Aaron Brooks,but again maybe not because that would leave us with Head as the backup 2. I hope Brooks will be able to adjust quicker than I expect.
I feel that most people on this board(unlike guys like you) are expecting too much from Barry.He is 37 and missed 51 games last year.Retaining Head may become a necessity as well despite his playoff failure.

 

Rox need a bigger backup PG, someone who can body up Deron Williams, like Fisher did.

 

Without a doubt. Fisher also brings a 3 point shot too,which is something that we need as well.

 

Actually at this point I don't know why they would be making any extra effort to deny the jump shot from Brooks. Alston was a better 3pt shooter than Brooks last year, 35.1% vs 33%, so assuming that Brooks would make more open 3's is based totally on potential. Brooks needs to lock down consistent play as a back up before he is considered as a starter.

 

Actually I think Barry can be in the mix for back-up PG. For one, the Rockets and Spurs have different systems and Pov demands defense 1st from his points. Two, and more important, the Rockets have Tmac, a point swingman. There are times our best offensive/closing lineup might have Barry, Tmac, Battier, Artest and Yao.

Now if Alston and Brooks shoot well there probably will be no need for PG minutes to Barry. But those are big ifs.

 

It would if getting midrange jumpers for our bigs was a focal point of the offense. I don't really know if Brooks will be a good spot up shooter which is what he'd have to be better at then Rafer. From what I've seen from him in college hes better taking shots off the dribble with the ball in his hands.

 

Acie Law, ftw.

he's 6'5", and about as money-in-the-clutch as it gets. this is the time to snare him away, while ATL still has Bibby and Speedy Claxton. i'm guessing Brooks + 2009 2nd Rounder will do it.

 

Barry can only play PG against second unit guards. In the fourth qtr this will not happen, becasue Nash, Tony P, and Chris P. etc... will be in the game and they will have a significant mismatch.

 

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Claxton isn't speedy anymore. He missed the entire outgoing season.

 

That shows he can pass out of a set. That doesn't mean he is more of a passer than a shooter.

 

His name is Steve Francis. And he's coming to an arena near you with vengeance! Sounded good at least right? I got faith he will be a key contributor.

 

That's what I hope will happen despite my doubts.

 

What has Brooks done to deserve the starting spot? I don't see any reason why we should bench Skip and start Brooks. Brooks has not shown that he is starting material. Skip has shown that he is starting material for us. The only way Skip doesn't start is if he comes into camp and stinks it up horribly.