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Aaron Brooks Wants To Stay With Phoenix Suns
by 7footer on Jul 27, 2011 11:37 AM MST
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Since joining the Phoenix Suns in a last-minute deal with the Houston Rockets to beat the NBA's trade deadline last season, Aaron Brooks has been an enigma of sorts. At times he has shown flashes of still being the same lightning-quick slasher and deadly three-point shooter that earned him a reputation of being one of the young, up-and coming point guards in the 2009/10 season.
However, at times he has also been the inefficient and hotheaded player that quickly fell out of favor with the Rockets less than a year later. Brooks is now a restricted free-agent this summer after Phoenix extended him a qualifying offer of three-million dollars shortly before the lockout began. This ensures Phoenix will have the option to either match any offers Brooks receives from other teams when free-agency resumes, or allow him to leave if they choose.
Paola Boivin of the Arizona Republic recently wrote an article about Brooks after catching up with him at Seattle's H206 Charity Basketball Classic. When asked about the possibility of a future with the Phoenix Suns, Brooks answered, " I love Phoenix. I think they like me, too. They picked up my qualifying offer, didn't they?". He also went on to say that, "Despite how things went, I think Phoenix is a good place for me...The players, management, fans; everything about the team I liked. That's not something you always find".
Brooks believes that many of his struggles last season in Phoenix were due to changing teams mid-season and trying to learn the offense. He seems to believe he can be much more successful with the Suns if given the chance to go through training camp and mesh with the other players.
The comparisons between the stories of Aaron Brooks and Goran Dragic, who Brooks was traded for, are eerily similar. Both Brooks and Dragic had high expectations going into the 2010/11 season after having very successful seasons in 2009/10.
Once hailed as the future of the Phoenix Suns after a breakout season in 2009/10, Goran Dragic seemed to regress in the 2010/11 season and failed to lead the second unit with much success. This lead the Suns' front office to make a change and bring in Brooks instead who also had a disappointing start to the season in Houston after losing his starting job to Kyle Lowry.
The Suns likely believed that Brooks had a better chance of recapturing his success since he had already shown that he could be a successful starting point guard in the league. But after a lackluster performance to close out last season, will Brooks be given another shot to prove that he's the right player for the job?
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Exactly
But i can’t help thinking some other team is going to make it hard for us
Do not let Steve Nash and Grant Hill go away, please.
Otherwhise im not buying any tickets from you Saver.
by Lino Canaan on Jul 27, 2011 1:37 PM MST via mobile up reply actions
yes, this. He’s the best FA PG out there. Teams know an offer of midlevel or higher will get him – but then they’ll be stuck with a Childress contract for an undersized PG. I could see Miami needing someone like him.
Blogging Suns Basketball at Bright Side of the Sun
true
but PHX has more cap space than Miami. and i doubt the front office will let brooks go and admit that the dragic trade was a mistake
If they think like that they need to be replaced immediately.
Losing Dragic is a sunk cost at this point. If the FO doesn’t think Brooks is the player they thought he was when they traded for him, then they need to get rid of him.
He would be a great fit in MIA but they shouldn’t have much if any cap space, and I would anticipate them going after a big before a PG.
Who needs a PG now? Most of the teams that needed one got him in the draft or trade.
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!
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No they don't.
They need a PG who can shoot, and occasionally create a shot for himself and/or others. LeBron and Wade handle most of the ball-handling and playmaking duties.
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!
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True, but Brooks isn't their answer.
When he’s at his most effective, his usage rate is just too high for him to be sharing the court with LeBron and Wade. Better off getting a Mo Williams/Booby Gibson type.
"I'm a nobody." - Steve Nash in 1997
by PHXSunsRunNGun on Jul 29, 2011 1:53 PM MST up reply actions
It is important to note that Brooks hasn’t been here long and hasn’t seen a Suns training camp yet, so I reserve judgement until I see a full season (including preseason). If there are many games missed this season it will be even harder for him to mesh with the team and learn the offense. He will struggle without continuity or even a starting point to begin learning the scheme.
Crashing the [message] boards from Rome, Italy. Go Suns!
That's basicaly my position as well...
I was a little disappointed with his overall play last year, but I am willing to wait and see how he performs this year before I form any kind of judgement. At this point, I believe it would be pretty foolish of the Suns to let him leave, barring some ridiculous offer to play somewhere else. We already extended him the $3mil qualifying offer, which is a good start, and I hope we will also match the offer of other teams up to around the $5-6mil mark. If some team wants to offer more than that, then it’s probably better if we pass…But since I believe that scenario is fairly unlikely, I would wager the guess that Brooks will return to the Suns next season and will be given a fair shot to succeed here.
plus
as has been discussed, there aren’t a lot great options out there.
"Maybe I’m old school," Nash said, "but I signed a contract to play here and I want to honor it. I feel like I owe it to my teammates and the city and everybody to keep battling until they tell me it’s time to go." STEVE (God of Basketball) NASH
He's arguably the best PG FA on the market.
"A fool knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." - Jared Franklin
true that he could become too pricey
but he is a risky point guard based on his previous two seasons of inconsistency, so I think we’ll end up with him at a good price. I also am hoping that he is sincere about liking the locker room, and hope he’s willing to fit in and have fun as best he can.
Crashing the [message] boards from Rome, Italy. Go Suns!
I agree....
but the problem is that this year may not be a good indicator of his abilities either. With the lengthened lockout, a truncated training camp and a frenetic schedule – if one at all – it will be a miracle if he plays like he did LAST year. Hopefully things will work out but I am not entirely optimistic that this season will be much better than last.
"We never tried Amar'e, Nash, and a live Grizzly bear." -Scott Howard, January 18, 2010
No no and again no
Brooks is a shooting PG and we need a passing PG. As Nash is getting older, he will spend less time on the floor and that means we would see the combo Gortat/Brooks on the floor more often.
We all saw last season how bad those are together on the floor, Brooks simply can’t play the pick-and-roll with Marcin.
Trade him!
Alea iacta est!
i disagree
We have seen that brooks has the ability to pass. with nash’s guidance and a little maturity i believe he can be solid replacement. he showed repeatedly that he can carry a team when he was in Houston. dragic did that once.
ATL – Teague, Hinrich
BOS – Rondo, West, Bradley
CHA – Walker, Augustin
CHI – Rose, Watson
CLE – Irving, Sessions
DAL – Kidd, Barea
DEN – Miller, Lawson
DET – Knight, Stuckey, Bynum
GSW – Curry, Ellis
HOU – Lowry, Dragic, Flynn
IND – Collison, Price
LAC – Williams, Bledsoe
LAL – Fisher, Blake
MEM – Conley, Vasquez
MIA – Bibby, Chalmers
MIL – Jennings, Boykins
MIN – Rubio, Ridnour
NJN – Williams, Farmar
NOH – Paul, Jack
NYK – Billups, Douglas
OKC – Westbrook, Maynor
ORL – Nelson, Arenas
PHI – Holiday, Williams
POR – Felton, Johnson, Smith
SAC – Fredette, Evans, Jeter
SAS – Parker, ?
TOR – Calderon, Bayless
UTA – Harris, Watson, Price
WAS – Wall, Crawford, Mack
There is the list of teams and their PGs. This is off the top of my head, so I’m not sure who’s a FA and I know I forgot some rookies, but there it is for the most part. Is there anyone there that will pay him starter money?
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!
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Are the Kings still interested?
They supposedly wanted him. And I heard that they’re sliding Evans to the SG position since Jimmer’s there. So… I guess they only have 2 PGs on their depth chart.
"A fool knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." - Jared Franklin
I forget the Heat.
He’d definitely be an upgrade over Bibby.
"A fool knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." - Jared Franklin
I agree.
But like I said above, can they afford to give him abigger contract than us? Especially if they go after a big man first (which they should do)?
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!
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Miami should absolutely be interested.
However, Omaha is right on, a center is a much, much bigger priority. If they completely strike out, they may throw a MLE at Brooks, assuming it still exists.
Evans has been a SG. But he’s a Wade-like SG and handles the ball a lot. Which explains why they were able to play Luther Head at PG at times.
I don’t think it would make sense now that they have Jimmer.
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!
I also edit things at Ridiculous Upside. Check it out.
On that list?
The Lakers probably should. Fisher is practically a member of the coaching staff at this point, and Blake is a bad fit for the triangle.
The Clippers are always in the running to give an oversized contract to a sub-par player.
Utah and the Spurs look like candidates as well.
Voted most likely to say "I told you so"
LA is the team I'm most afraid of.
What about Blake makes him a bad fit for the triangle though?
LAC may be incompetent, but they have Mo Williams and the young guy Bledsoe to develop. It’s a possibility though.
Utah and SA would only be able to offer him a back-up spot. Would they overpay to lure him away from us?
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!
I also edit things at Ridiculous Upside. Check it out.
Blake's a true point guard
who runs an offense, moves the ball side to side, and shoots from the top. He’s a bit like Jason Kidd, except without the defense and rebounding.
In the triangle, the point guard essentially brings the ball up and runs to the corner, and the SG and SG initiate the offense. So Blake’s best attribute is largely wasted.
On the other hand, size is good for the triangle, and he does have that.
Voted most likely to say "I told you so"
“Despite how things went, I think Phoenix is a good place for me…”
I like this. It’s encouraging to know that he’s aware of how “things went” last season. He knows he’s better than he showed last season, and I believe him.
by iwasneveryoung on Jul 27, 2011 11:20 PM MST reply actions
Yes.
He’s happy in PHX and wants to prove he’s better than what he showed. We already won half the battle, and as long as some other team doesn’t throw a ton of cash his way it looks like we’ll have a talented young back-up PG with a chip on his shoulder who wants to prove himself.
Go Suns, Packers, Jays, and Huskers!
Green Bay Packers: Super Bowl XLV Champions!!!!
I also edit things at Ridiculous Upside. Check it out.
Yep.
All we can do now is wait and see what happens.
by iwasneveryoung on Jul 27, 2011 11:33 PM MST up reply actions
Yup
I was disappointed in the trade at the time and wasn’t happy with how he played. I definitely don’t see him as the PG of the future but as long as he brings it every night (which is the big question mark) he should be a better than average backup.
Re-sign BAMF.
Dragic is such a mysterious player to me
I know he can shoot, steal, pass and slash, however he is not anything particularly, i think he could have learn a lot more from Nash of how to run a team, because he has all the tools to make it as a succesful PG, right ?
Do not let Steve Nash and Grant Hill go away, please.
Otherwhise im not buying any tickets from you Saver.
Give him a chance
I think he could be a lot like Andre Miller – an underrated, reliable pg. Players have a habit of shining in PHX. Look at how much better Frye and Dudley have done in PHX.
Except Andre Miller is basically indestructible; he has missed one game in the past 4 seasons and not because of injury.
He missed a game this season because of a suspension. Brooks on the other hand has only played one entire season. Now, that doesnt mean that I wouldnt want him back; he is the best free agent point guard on the market
by Purple Palace on Jul 28, 2011 6:56 PM MST up reply actions
Brooks is nothing like Andre Miller
they couldn’t be more opposite if they tried. One is slow and big, one is small and fast. One likes to get into the paint and finishes well at the rim, but can’t shoot a lick. The other can’t finish at the rim hardly at all, and led the league in 3 pointers one season.
These two players are complete opposites.
Voted most likely to say "I told you so"
In terms of production, I don't think Aaron Brooks sucked for us at all last season.
10 points and 4 assists in under 19 minutes is actually very good for a backup PG, it’s better (by far) than what Goran gave us even in his vaunted 2009-10 season (he posted 7.9 points and 3 assists) while playing practically the same amount of minutes. Brooks just needs to shoot more efficiently and learn cohesion and chemistry with the team; I think he has the potential to be a real sparkplug for us when Nash takes a rest, and he’s fully capable of taking over starting duties when Nash rests on back-to-backs and back-to-back-to-backs. So the chemistry and teamwork issues he can work out in the offseason, I think; if he does, we’ll have the best PG combo since Backcourt 2000.
"I'm a nobody." - Steve Nash in 1997
Agreed. His stats were fine. He just needs training camp and to get some cohesion with the guys so that the team will be better when he’s in there.
by BringBackBarkley17 on Aug 1, 2011 11:34 PM MST up reply actions
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