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Why for Toronto: Toronto was horrible defensively last year. Bringing in Brooks helps with building a defensive mindset for the young players. Canadian Player.

Why for Houston: There is a log jam at the wing position especially with Cam Whitmore and Reed Sheppard looking great in summer league. Add Amen Thompson to the mix I believe Brooks days in Houston are numbered. This trade open up minutes for the young guys as well as shed salary after this year. Houston might want a pick depending on Brooks value. I think at most a couple second rounders should be fair. Dlo can play backup point or can be moved depending on how good Sheppard is playing the point behind FVV.

Why for Lakers: Shedding salary and getting a quality bench piece in Bruce Brown.

I think Brooks will be moved because Amen & Eason are both ready to start.
Toronto would be ideal because he would be going back home and they are putting together the Canadian National Team anyways.
I think it could be a straight up trade for Brown but with Sheppard’s emergence, Brown probably wouldn’t even get playing time in Houston anyways.
I don’t mind the deal but I think Rockets would be looking for an expiring contract of a player who won’t mind not getting minutes.

I don’t think DLo really fits on the Rockets. He doesn’t really fit anywhere tbh except like a tank commander on the Nets.

On value, seems ok.


Directionally, the Raps might improve enough and become a middling team, which is bad, because most people are hoping to tank first.

cant afford both vanderbilt and brooks next year if we want to stay out of tax

Brooks is filling a role in Houston. Mentor!
His attitude is making Eason and Whitmore, along with others, aggressive.
Plus, he is a great piece for a team on the cusp. He would help CLE, phx, etc so much.
DLo contract is not wanted.
Boucher not wanted.

Houston is set for moves at trade deadline.

Xman wrote:Brooks is filling a role in Houston. Mentor!
His attitude is making Eason and Whitmore, along with others, aggressive.
Plus, he is a great piece for a team on the cusp. He would help CLE, phx, etc so much.
DLo contract is not wanted.
Boucher not wanted.

Houston is set for moves at trade deadline.

I think Cam looks good enough to play at least 20-25 min a night and Amen should be playing 25-30 a night also. You got Green, Sheppard, FVV all looking at 25-30 a night, there simply isn't enough minutes to go around.

So here are some scenarios that can happen. Brooks keep playing his 25-30 min a night which takes away valuable development time for players that are clearly ready. Or Brooks become a mentor where he plays 15-20 min and give way to the younger players. In the 2nd scenario Brooks at best lowers his trade value due to lack of playing time, at worst he becomes disgruntled and demands to be traded which besides lowered value also comes with distraction to the team.

I think if Brooks isn't in Houston's plans the time to move him is right now. Whether it's this package or some other package the above doesn't change. Haven't seen Amen but just watching Cam dominate summer league I just don't see how he doesn't get a chance to play significant minutes to start the year.

Makes no sense for LA. Theyre not looking to shed salary for the sake of it and get the worse player back.

Houston doesn't need D'Lo, they probably don't want him either. The wing depth issue isn't that big of a deal for Houston, but adding an on-ball creator with bad defense causes an actual logistics issue.

MoreyWins wrote:Houston doesn't need D'Lo, they probably don't want him either. The wing depth issue isn't that big of a deal for Houston, but adding an on-ball creator with bad defense causes an actual logistics issue.

I think the logjam is a bigger deal than most. Especially with Reed looking like he deserves big minutes right away. I think he takes Holidays backup pg minutes immediately, and plays some backup SG. Jabari will see less minutes at backup C with the arrival of Steven Adams... Tari, Cam, and Amen are getting squeezed into SF.

It seems like less of a big deal because Tari Eason missed most of last season and we didn't have Reed Sheppard or Steven Adams.

Also, Brooks was nice for us last season... love the tough, aggressive mentality he brought, but if he gives us a better chance to win that that huge chuck of our talent, we aren't a playoff team in the West.

[quote="BlackThought"][quote="Xman"]Brooks is filling a role in Houston. Mentor!
His attitude is making Eason and Whitmore, along with others, aggressive.
Plus, he is a great piece for a team on the cusp. He would help CLE, phx, etc so much.
DLo contract is not wanted.
Boucher not wanted.

Houston is set for moves at trade deadline.[/quote]

I think Cam looks good enough to play at least 20-25 min a night and Amen should be playing 25-30 a night also. You got Green, Sheppard, FVV all looking at 25-30 a night, there simply isn't enough minutes to go around.

So here are some scenarios that can happen. Brooks keep playing his 25-30 min a night which takes away valuable development time for players that are clearly ready. Or Brooks become a mentor where he plays 15-20 min and give way to the younger players. In the 2nd scenario Brooks at best lowers his trade value due to lack of playing time, at worst he becomes disgruntled and demands to be traded which besides lowered value also comes with distraction to the team.

I think if Brooks isn't in Houston's plans the time to move him is right now. Whether it's this package or some other package the above doesn't change. Haven't seen Amen but just watching Cam dominate summer league I just don't see how he doesn't get a chance to play significant minutes to start the year.[/quote]

Cam deserves minutes. I think they will start the season giving JalenG the reins on offense to see if last April was real. It is his make it or mover time. And, Whitmore will be right there applying pressure.
I expect Vleet and Brooks will have their minutes change game to game. When someone comes in hot (whether Amen/Sheppard/Whitmore/Green/Jabari/Eason) they will be the focus.

Watching Eason and Brooks out there together on defense is amazing - especially with Jabari also in the lineup. Add in that Amen and Sheppard might also be defensive studs. Plus, Whitmore is not bad - more of a ball hawk than team defense though.

I see Sengun playing a two man game with whoever is the offensive focus (JGreen, Vleet, maybe Whitmore or Jabari). 3&D filling out the other spots (Brooks, Jabari, Eason, Sheppard)

The Rockets have to figure out if JalenGreen is the focus (April says yes - other history says no). If not, can Whitmore do it? I will say that Whitmore reminds me of Carmelo with better defense.

I think the team is feeling good about Sengun (solid and improving) and Jabari (same).
Vleet and Brooks are proven commodities.

But, there are so many other major questions:
- Can Amen get his shot right? - if so, he is scary.
- Can Sheppard's defense and shooting translate to NBA? - if so, scary.
- AJ Griffin, can he recover emotionally and be what he was year one. If so, he is a real player.
- Can Eason stay healthy and impact the defense like he did last year.

Houston has other assets
- role players - Tate, Landale, Adams, JeffGreen, etc.
- picks - PHX, etc.

So, they do not need backups like DLo or Boucher, who should never see the court.
Yes, they could trim the roster a little, but Tate and Landale are first up on that list (and both are team options for next year).

The setup is for February, when hopefully a star comes available.
- will have major salaries to offer, Vleet, Brooks
- will have smaller expiring like Tate, Landale, JeffGreen, etc.
- tons of cap space, ignoring team options and QOs, only $40 mil committed.

Personally, I want Booker and they are set to make a big offer (27 so age is good and fills the main spot). With the PHX picks and several prospects, it could happen.
Booker/Sheppard/Brooks/Jabari/Sengun: If not traded, major minutes also to: Amen/Eason/Whitmore.
- clearly this is the JalenGreen fails or is not good enough scenario and is shipped in the deal along with Vleet. If JalenGreen performs, then they might be set as is.

If that fails, then will have space for free agents or to deal for them next offseason. Also, will have a better idea on who will be the focus and who they let go. Right now, it is too soon to know.

MessiahUjiri wrote:I don’t think DLo really fits on the Rockets. He doesn’t really fit anywhere tbh except like a tank commander on the Nets.

On value, seems ok.


Directionally, the Raps might improve enough and become a middling team, which is bad, because most people are hoping to tank first.

Houston could just waive DLO in theory, their value is to get out of Brook's remaining 3 season, though they could do that with just straight up for Brown and maybe get a 2nd or two or something and do Brown a solid (who's probably in more demand from playoff teams.)

I would probably not trade Brooks for nothing right now if I'm Houston, probably need at least a second or two to do that.

If Houston keeps both Green and Sengun at rookie max, and either get another FA or resign FVV to something reasonable, they'll likely be pretty close or over the tax after next year, so there IS probably a need to trade Brooks in some sense, but the time is like next off season or at the latest the 2026 deadline. But of course, that depends on Green being worth the max, and also, if the situation where they can trade for some sort of super star, having that contract probably helps some.

Don’t think lakers are a Bruce brown away from anything.

Not interested from LA's point of view.

D'Lo was the teams 3rd best player last year and it wasn't really close. I get that Brown is a better option in the playoffs, which is something that has to be adressed at some point, but replacing D'Lo AND Vando with Brown makes it far more difficult to even make the playoffs, and you'd be giving up a lot of offense (with D'Lo) and a lot of defense (in Vando)

Now, if LA were to sign Tyus Jones somehow (kinda like Gary Trent Jr. in Milwaukee) i think i'd be more open to making moves along these lines.

Why aren't the Lakers getting Brooks?

This is a good trade if you remove LA

Brooks, Landale for Brown and Boucher

Raptors get an upgrade in Brooks, a backup C in Landale, Houston opens up a starting position for Amen or Eason, clears cap for next off season, gets serviceable vets off the bench in Brown/Boucher.