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I have figured it out. The single best PG target for the Pacers is not Steve Nash. It's not Deron Williams. It's not Goran Dragic.

It's Aaron Brooks

This is the perfect guy for the Pacers to target.

Just 2 years ago, he was coming off a fantastic 3rd season with Houston, winning Most Improved Player. Showed what a scoring machine he is. On April 11, 2010, Brooks became only the sixth player in NBA history to make over 200 3-pointers and over 400 assists in a single season. He had countless game winners, dominations, huge point outbursts, big moments. Early in the next season, he had an injury (nothing awful, a sprained ankle) and Kyle Lowry came onto the scene there. Rockets traded Brooks for Dragic and a 1st. He backed up Nash so didn't exactly get to showcase himself, and then the lockout happened.

Expecting maybe to lose the whole season, Brooks went ahead and signed in China, which is why everyone forgot about him. He did well there, took his team to the finals.

He is a restricted Free Agent with Phoenix. Will they match any offer? Well it depends on the Nash situation. But a hefty offer from a team might make it hard for them to match a guy who has very little connection with the team, and a potential backup role if Nash wants to stay a few more years.

Surely Brooks is hungry to get back into the NBA and find a home. Who will be his team?

The Indiana Pacers!

The Plan

Sign Aaron Brooks to something that the Suns won't match. Shouldn't be too hard. 4 years/20 million? I would genuinely pay more than that, 3 years 20 million, who knows. Hopefully, we can get him for pennies. 2 years, 10 million or something? 3 years, 13? It's possible, his value is low simply because he had a bad season, then disappeared to china, we could get an amazing bargain!

Keep Hill as well. Make him the 6th man he was born to be, or keep him as the starter. Potentially trade Collison/jones/pick/etc for upgrades at the backup big spots.

Brooks/Hill/Collison(traded?)
George/Hill/Stephenson
Granger/George/Jones
West/Hansbrough/Pendergraph
Hibbert/Fesenko/trade target?

The Evidence

Check his stats: http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3192/aaron-brooks

Keep in mind that last year doesn't look too good, but damn, he got jerked around that season.

Then consider the following:

Here's Brooks almost bringing Houston back (check that "foul" at the end - fernandez fell over on his own, awful call. Houston would have had it with 1.5 on the clock...) in a playoff game against Portland. 11 points in 27 seconds.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H08QlVTud24[/youtube]


Here's Brooks scoring 43 points in a 3OT game where he played 59 minutes:

http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=300113010



Here's a mix of his 09-10 season:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96fdWvSYOk4&feature=related[/youtube]


Coldblooded:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5aKHrtpiws&feature=related[/youtube]

Dominates in big moments, end-of-game, scores the bucket:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bSdhTH8NLQ&feature=relmfu[/youtube]

Brooks wins games:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2UZ5dtEN70&feature=player_detailpage#t=105s[/youtube]




This guy is EXACTLY what we need at the point guard spot! A big time scorer, dominator, who the other team's defense has to respect. A guy who can drive hard to the basket, break down a defense, and hit big shots in big moments.

Agreed. Although I could see the Suns matching, especially if they lose Nash and miss out on Deron Williams (which I think is likely.)

I've thought of Aaron Brooks, but honestly, not a lot. His one big season is a lot like the one big half of a season that Darren Collison put up in New Orleans as a starter before he came here. He's similarly sized, and similarly talented.

I honestly just don't think Aaron Brooks is much of an improvement, if at all, over Darren Collison or George Hill. It's much the same reason I'm not sold on a Goran Dragic addition, either.


Simply put, I think that the only free agent additions that are sure to be upgrades over what we have are Nash and Deron Williams. Those aren't likely to come here. I'd be ok with an MLE or smaller sized offer to Brooks as an offensive PG off the bench, but then would look to move Collison.

I don't think the coaching staff views point guard as the problem. Nash is Nash but I don't see us chasing anyone who would be long run competition for what we have. a veteran point guard like Nash or Andre Miller who could be a steadying influence and a mentor, maybe, but a young guy or a guy in his prime who would get in the way of Hill and Collison's ability to improve, no. we're a young team and the plan is to improve the bench and let the starters grow.

George Hill averaged 15 pts and 5 assists as a starter during his 9 starts in the regular season, 5 pts better then Collison as a starter.

Frankly I'm willing to take Hill's improved success over time as a starter at nearly half the price it would take to sign a Deron Williams or Steve Nash.

jowglenn wrote:He is a restricted Free Agent with Phoenix. Will they match any offer?

I'm surprised nobody has said this yet, but Herb Simon has a policy of not going after restricted free agents. I believe the only way to acquire his services is through sign and trade, correct?

If Larry could convince Simon to let him put in a low offer, he might. Since point guard isn't really a problem, if they put in a low offer (ie one that they would offer if he was an unrestricted free agent), it's a pretty low-risk move. If they get him - cool. If they don't, oh well, we still are pretty deep at point with Hill, Collison, and Price.

I would guess that Simon's policy more applies to bigger-name/bigger-impact/more expensive/more highly sought after RFAs, such as the likes of Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, O.J. Mayo, Nic Batum, and Brook Lopez. Hopefully he'll change his tune once Paul Millsap becomes an RFA in summer 2013.

Millsap will be unrestricted in 2013.

Even better.

Aaron Brooks is a very good offensive threat; However the Suns need him especially if Nash leaves which makes it least likely they will just let him go. However one Suns player fell out of the rotation last season that may be available to help Indy is Robin Lopez a talented 7 footer willing to play off the bench. We may be able to offer a small package to get him; and he isnt an expensive contract. Hes pretty athletic with the smashmouth mentality of not giving up layups; also not a non factor on offense.

^^^I'd do DJones for RLopez.

As far as pg's go, I agree with Wizop that we don't need to change pg's if it isn't a clear upgrade. However, at some point in negotiations with GHill, if the asking price becomes too high, then we should consider guys like Dragic, Miller, Brooks, etc... I am thinking Dragic gets a little more than Hill while Brooks and Miller will be half that.

Hopefully the market shuns Hill a little and we get him for about 5 per.

didn't Hill turn down 7 last fall? don't see him taking 5 now. he's probably looking for 8 or 9. lets hope guys like Dragic and Brooks don't wind up getting 10+ or Hill we rightfully want that too. the market will eventually set the prices but he's going to get starters money whatever that turns out to be under the new deal.

Frankly, I'd rather have Brooks at 4/20 than Hill at 4/28.

I'd like to have both of them at both of those.

Brooks is a massive upgrade over Collison. He's a rich man's collison. So let's get him and get rid of collison.

It's a smart signing. Brooks is clearly a legitimate NBA point guard, during that 09-10 season, he was being talked about as one of the hottest young point guards. It's possible he isn't anymore, but if he is, wouldn't that be amazing?

People who are talking about Hill and Collison like that... man, when did either of them ever have a season like brooks's 09-10?

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/gamelog/_ ... ron-brooks

Go look at that season. Look at that! The guy was a BEAST!

Surely you cannot objectively think he's not much better than collison.

Brandon Roy is playing in Jamal Crawfords summer pro am; The pacers scouts should be checking him out. He may be able to fill our offensive need off the bench. Thoughts?

Imagine....
PG G. Hill/Collison
SG George/B. Roy
SF Granger/Stephenson or Jones
PF West/Hansborough or Pendergraph or Amundson
C Hibbert/ Draft pick? Trade? Free Agent?

jowglenn wrote:
It's a smart signing. Brooks is clearly a legitimate NBA point guard, during that 09-10 season, he was being talked about as one of the hottest young point guards. It's possible he isn't anymore, but if he is, wouldn't that be amazing?

People who are talking about Hill and Collison like that... man, when did either of them ever have a season like brooks's 09-10?

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/gamelog/_ ... ron-brooks

Go look at that season. Look at that! The guy was a BEAST!

Surely you cannot objectively think he's not much better than collison.

Objectively, I can.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/462 ... ?year=2009

Take a look at Darren Collison's game log from that same season. Look at the time periods that Chris Paul was out injured (I'm sure you can guess which time periods that was by looking at it).

It's very similar. Collison didn't have a 40 point night (that took 3 OT's and 59 minutes), but he also distributed the ball MUCH better than Aaron Brooks.


I'm not saying Aaron Brooks isn't a decent player. I'm merely saying that Aaron Brooks' career looks pretty much the EXACT SAME as Darren Collison's, and that he's being lauded for much the same reasons that Collison was.

Wizop wrote:I don't think the coaching staff views point guard as the problem...

Same here. I guess we're pretty fine at the point with Hill and DC, and possibly Stephenson now that AJ Price is a free agent.Our backcourt is still learning, especially DC, but there were some flashes of hope in the last playoff run, i wouldn't be surprised if we leave that PG position as it is til the season starts.

On the other hand, it could be a BIG consideration this offseason too, as we were in the bottom of the league in assists. I always believe a good point guard will make any good team great. And in our case, HIbbert and Paul George can flourish with a playmaking point guard.

The only thing that i do not want to happen this offseason is a blockbuster trade. Unless of course we end up being big winners. But i'd prefer adding depth to a developing team, we have one of the best cores in and out the court with these guys.

Scoot McGroot wrote:

jowglenn wrote:
It's a smart signing. Brooks is clearly a legitimate NBA point guard, during that 09-10 season, he was being talked about as one of the hottest young point guards. It's possible he isn't anymore, but if he is, wouldn't that be amazing?

People who are talking about Hill and Collison like that... man, when did either of them ever have a season like brooks's 09-10?

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/gamelog/_ ... ron-brooks

Go look at that season. Look at that! The guy was a BEAST!

Surely you cannot objectively think he's not much better than collison.

Objectively, I can.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/462 ... ?year=2009

Take a look at Darren Collison's game log from that same season. Look at the time periods that Chris Paul was out injured (I'm sure you can guess which time periods that was by looking at it).

It's very similar. Collison didn't have a 40 point night (that took 3 OT's and 59 minutes), but he also distributed the ball MUCH better than Aaron Brooks.


I'm not saying Aaron Brooks isn't a decent player. I'm merely saying that Aaron Brooks' career looks pretty much the EXACT SAME as Darren Collison's, and that he's being lauded for much the same reasons that Collison was.

A few reasons I can't agree with you here, Scoot.

First off, Collison's hot streak was a 3-month stint in a system that was very point-guard oriented (Chris Paul's assists have gone down since leaving NOH). Also, they had NOBODY else, so he was basically playing like 43 minutes per game while Paul was out.

Brooks did it over an entire season, averaged 19 ppg in 35 mpg. Collison had his spurts, but he never broke out for huge scoring runs like Brooks did. He was just in the right place at the right time as far as I can tell.

Biggest point total Collison had during that NOH run? 32. He hasn't done better since. Any time he gets in the high 20s is an aberration.

Brooks, on the other hand, during his 09-10 run, had games of 33, 34, 43, 33, 34, 31, 31, 31, and it was a surprise for him to get less than 20.

I have watched both play plenty of times, and I am sure, due to the accumulation of basketball knowledge I have, that Aaron Brooks is a better player than Darren Collison.

jowglenn wrote:

A few reasons I can't agree with you here, Scoot.

First off, Collison's hot streak was a 3-month stint in a system that was very point-guard oriented (Chris Paul's assists have gone down since leaving NOH). Also, they had NOBODY else, so he was basically playing like 43 minutes per game while Paul was out.

Brooks did it over an entire season, averaged 19 ppg in 35 mpg. Collison had his spurts, but he never broke out for huge scoring runs like Brooks did. He was just in the right place at the right time as far as I can tell.

Biggest point total Collison had during that NOH run? 32. He hasn't done better since. Any time he gets in the high 20s is an aberration.

Brooks, on the other hand, during his 09-10 run, had games of 33, 34, 43, 33, 34, 31, 31, 31, and it was a surprise for him to get less than 20.

I have watched both play plenty of times, and I am sure, due to the accumulation of basketball knowledge I have, that Aaron Brooks is a better player than Darren Collison.

I have no doubt that, if given the chance, Aaron Brooks would score more points than Darren Collison. I also know that in 2009-10 (Brooks' big year), Brooks was the only player there all year. Yao was out all year and Kevin Martin didn't play until the last 24 games. The other 2 guys were Shane Battier and Trevor Ariza, two players widely known to not take charge offensively.

As far as I'm concerned, they're relatively equal in terms of total production. Collison is the better distributor (but inferior scoring PG), and Brooks is the better scoring PG (yet the inferior distributing PG).