No, I didn't. Had you read my OP, I separated out the season into half, Oct - Dec, and Jan - Apr. I also quoted both his season average AND career average. We all like Brooks, but just because his stats doesn't reflect the Brooks we like does NOT mean I cherry-pick the data.
One thing seems pretty clear. We are not signing, resigning or taking player or team options on players until Dwight and CP3 are firmly placed, whether that be here in Houston or elsewhere. And what we do next depends on the above.
You are playing with the stats because you can break off the season stats in different ways to make the opposite point. Lin- February: 42% March: 40% April: 36% Brooks- February: 0% March: 25% April: 33%. Now Lin is trending downwards and Brooks has steadily improved. In the data you posted, Brooks shot 35 times. If he made just 5 more shots, his second half FG% would be 43% and according to how you reach your conclusions he would be steadily improving too. It's silly to reach the conclusions you are reaching on such limited data.
If he had made just 5 more shots?!?! If a player's stats needs to be boosted by using the "if" scenario, then, well... you made my case for me. If Lin had more 5 more shots, his playoff FG% would have been 45.8% instead of 25%. If Beverley had made 5 more shots, his playoff FG% would have been 50% instead of 43%. (And I at least used a season's worth of data. You on the other hand... ) In all seriousness, there's a scientific way to figure out the "trend" in data analysis, and I did do that before posting. Use Excel or whatever tool you are comfortable with, plot their month-over-month stats and add a trend line. You'll see what I am talking about.
Brooks was a good signing, and he accomplished his purpose of injury insurance for the playoffs. But I don't see his option being picked up when Morey is looking to clear cap space for a free agency run. I think the Rockets will hold onto his option to see if they can flip him on draft night. If they can't find any takers, they'll decline the option before it becomes guaranteed. They're not going to give $2.5M to a third string PG when they need cap space to make a run at Dwight Howard, CP3, and whoever else. The fact that Brooks said that his exit interview with McHale and Morey was very short with nice platitudes proves the point. If Brooks was in their long term plans, the interview would have had more substance and been longer, instead of a short perfunctory affair.
This is kind of my suspicion. I like Brooks too, but IMO he's more of a very solid backup than a starter or the first backup PG off the bench.
Ouch! You've never been one to hold back, Sam. I have to largely agree with you about this one, though. While I got a charge out of the AB Blast from the Past showing we had a taste of against the Thunder, I can't see Morey keeping him. It would take an arkane combination of events for Brooks to end up in Houston again next season, and finding a realistic scenario of that happening is damn near impossible. Having said that, were he to somehow still wind up in Houston, I'd enjoy having him. And no, he isn't taking Lin's spot, for those daydreaming about the possibility. No way that could happen. Jeremy would have to be gone, and we'd still want a better starting point than Beverley or Brooks. Too convoluted.
Even if you're in favor of keeping Brooks, its a bit cherry picking stuff there lol Add it all up, and Brooks shot a CAREER HIGH in FG%. And his 2nd highest 3pt % of his career. You said you used a whole season's worth of data. But from February on, in total minutes Brooks played the equivalent of just 2 full games. Thats not substantial enough toward season's total. Also I can see if he's a Donatas Mutiejunas unproven rookie with a shaky shot that you need to see it go in to gain confidence in it. But Brooks is an established vet. To add in, Brooks numbers as a starter past season 20 games: .490 FG%, .412 3PT% - START Brooks ? Though its still that Jeremy Lin's shot has improved enough to where it negates Brooks's advantage as the outside shooter. There's actually not much conscious need to bring down Brooks to highlight Lin. Its just a credit to Lin (And we still don't know if it will hold up or if it was just a fluke couple months. But I think the improvements will stay enough. Its kinda similar to Lowry getting a decent 3 point shot and moving out Brooks) And all that said, should put no guarantee in Brooks coming back, very high chance that its not happening.
Fair post, but I wasn't trying to bring down Brooks to highlight Lin. I'm for keeping all 3 PGs, but if we could only keep two for cap-space reason, IMO Lin/Beverley is a better choice over Lin/Brooks or Beverley/Brooks. That's all.
The good thing is all 3 enjoys playing for the Rockets, has great chemistry on the team, and would probably be willing to come back after having their team options declined provided the wait does not put their career in limbo (ie kill all other options) and I doubt any of the 3 get much more that $3M/yr from other teams. So we still have a chance if the marquee players decide their destination very quickly after July 1.
Brooks is a great fit next to Harden on offense and a disastrous fit on defense. Lin is a solid fit with Harden on both ends Beverley is a great fit on defense, and not so great (but far from disastrous) fit on offense. Solution? Harden improves his defense and all three will be able to play well alongside Harden.
That's pretty much what I've said. Dump lin to bucks for a reade exception, sign howard and platoon brooks-beverly. If they get howard, they have to go cheap somewhere. Since harden making max and howard will get the big max money,they will have to go cheap at other positions. We know brooks and beverly can hold down the pg chheaply. Parson is a great value right now at the 3. They might have to also go cheap at the 4 spot. At least they do have some guys with potential there though.
