Aaron Brooks free agency article

[nevetsov]

From hoopsworld via hoopshype:


Labor negotiations and lockout updates have dominated NBA headlines as of late, but there are still plenty of free agents who are waiting for this work stoppage to end so that they can communicate with teams and find a home. Free agency is always a hectic process, but it's even more complicated during a lockout.

Aaron Brooks is one of the top point guards in this year's free agency class, but he doesn't know what the future holds. He'll be a restricted free agent when the lockout comes to an end and he's patiently waiting for a resolution in his hometown of Seattle.

"All I can do is just sit here and wait for the lockout to end," Brooks told HOOPSWORLD in a phone interview. "I don't know what's going to happen at this point. Because I can't communicate with any teams, I can't gauge their interest or enter negotiations. I'm just waiting for a call saying that the lockout has ended."

The Phoenix Suns acquired Brooks at the trade deadline last season, and extended a qualifying offer prior to the lockout. They can match any offer sheet that Brooks signs this offseason. The point guard enjoyed his brief time in Phoenix and believes he'll be back with the Suns next season.

"All signs point to me going back to Phoenix," Brooks said. "I had a good time. I like the organization and it's a great city. I would love to continue playing in Phoenix. I would love stay with this team. This summer, I'm going to get more comfortable with the guys. I want to get to know everyone a little bit better and then hopefully we have a better season than we did last year."

At first, Brooks had trouble adjusting to the midseason change of scenery, but he began fitting in toward the end of the season.

"All of the guys there are cool, but it was awkward for me because I've never been in that position," Brooks said. "I've never switched teams in the middle of the season, but they did a good job of making me feel comfortable while I was there. It was just different being thrown into a situation like that."

Brooks has been looking forward to free agency for quite some time. He wanted to sign an extension with the Houston Rockets last year, but their front office rarely extends players, opting instead to match offer sheets to avoid bidding against themselves. By the time Brooks was a dealt to the Suns, the deadline to extend his contract had already passed.

Now, he's excited to receive a long-term commitment from a team and finally have some security going forward.

"In Houston, they said all the right things, but so much can change over the course of one year," Brooks said. "There was no stability there. Players were coming and going. They had 33 players in the three and a half years that I was there. I'm just looking forward to having some security and finding a situation with more stability. Once all of this is over, I'll able to focus on basketball and be comfortable playing again."

After averaging 10.6 points and 3.9 assists last season, Brooks was disappointed with his play. He plans to work extremely hard during the lockout and return next season better than ever.

"Coming off of an injury-plagued season, I need this time," Brooks said. "It's a blessing and a curse for me. I want to get back to playing, but now I can use all of this extra time to make myself better."

While his workouts in Seattle have been rigorous, Brooks is also open to playing overseas. He is keeping his options open and would consider joining an international team if the situation was right.

He is extremely popular in China, in large part because of his success with the Houston Rockets. Brooks has made several trips to China in recent years and has a number of endorsements with Chinese companies.

In the meantime, Brooks is in Washington, focusing on charitable work. On July 24, the Aaron Brooks Foundation will hold their annual "Charitabowl Classic" in Seattle. It's the second year in a row that he has held the program, which provides funding and services to underserved at-risk youth.

"We'll be holding a bowling event and we also started three after-school programs to help kids with their educations," he said. "My uncle, James Hampton, has been involved in the Seattle community for many years and is now heading my foundation. He's been doing an excellent job and we just want to make a difference. We're not just out here playing basketball - we want to make a difference in the community too. I just want to give back and help."

Brooks is keeping himself busy during the lockout, but the real fun starts once a new collective bargaining agreement is ratified. That's when he'll be able to have contact with teams and experience free agency for the first time in his career. For now, he's remaining patient and doing what he can to better himself and his community.

[nevetsov]

Saying all the right things, hopefully backing it up will drive up his value. If any other teams are seriously interested in him, they better be prepared to make a decent offer, or give up something in a sign and trade.

[Beas4pres]

i like brooks and think he is definitely worth keeping and being mentored by NASH. He is good and can shoot and if he learns the roots I think he can run an offense definitely.

all you guys bash brooks cause you were in love with dragic. ill admit i like dragic and loved watching him but BRooks will have a better career

[BurningHeart]

all you guys bash brooks cause you were in love with dragic.

No.

[JohnVancouver]

Partly true - I make no bones about my affection for Dragic. But Brooks didn't bring the offense we thought he would, and he gets overexcited and gets thrown out or takes bad T's. Doesn't seem like a bad guy in any way, juts a hothead and a little out of control.

Dragic was a scoring point but he was also a fine passer and a good defensive player. Brook is even less a true point than Gogi was, and a liability defensively. Just what it is

[Beas4pres]

when brooks played he had decent numbers but being on a new team is difficult.

he probably wanted to score and go all out to impress people but he got over excited.

that happens with a lot of players i guarantee if given time next season he will impress give him time how long did it take dragic to get to his level. he was inconsistent at time and would amaze everyone at times

[Safety Pickle]

Partly true - I make no bones about my affection for Dragic. But Brooks didn't bring the offense we thought he would, and he gets overexcited and gets thrown out or takes bad T's. Doesn't seem like a bad guy in any way, juts a hothead and a little out of control.

Dragic was a scoring point but he was also a fine passer and a good defensive player. Brook is even less a true point than Gogi was, and a liability defensively. Just what it is

Wasn't Brooks only thrown out of one game for standing up for Dowdell? That hardly seems like a hothead to me

[Beas4pres]

i agree safety pickle

whats with all these guys on here acting like thats a problem or acting like people in general are perfect we are all humans we make mistakes and act out for the ones around us

[RunSunRun]

Unless some team throws him an absolutely insane offer, I believe we'll match anything that is a decent offer.

And I honestly did not mind trading Dragic at all for Brooks, that would have been a fair value swap, but throwing in that Orlando first was just terrible.

[Beas4pres]

ya we could of used that pick in this draft we could of got jordan hamilton, tyler honeycutt, marshon brooks

[lilfishi22]

My beef with the Brooks for Dragic trade is that even at Brooks' best (ie if we forget about his injury plagued year), he isn't who we need. We don't need 19 points and 6 assist from the PG position. We certainly don't need a defensive liability at that position either. Nash gets by because he makes the team significantly better as a whole. Dragic won't give us Nash's magic numbers but he'll run the team like a PG should while playing satisfactory defense.

Brooks is a more proven talent but I really think he's reached his potential. 19/6 is nothing to scoff at but if we want to be a better defensive team while still being running a potent offense, signing Brooks to a deal to keep him here long term just isn't a good start.

[lilfishi22]

ya we could of used that pick in this draft we could of got jordan hamilton, tyler honeycutt, marshon brooks

Yeah, that was huge. So much decent talent in the late 1st round we could've used.

[realsunsfan]

With this kind of attitude I hope he does return for next year and beyond......


Thirty2zero Aaron Brooks
Lol to people who think I'm not still improving.... Operation prove every body wrong n place. I've never been So Motivated in my life.

[Nando88]

i hope we do keep him. one last year under steve would be good for him. plus he needed more time to fit in with the team plus he wasn't a %100. he'll come into his own with us the way Jrich did

[DRK]

I'm willing to give him a chance. He never really got much time to bond with the guys, so we really couldn't expect too much out of him.

What Beas4pres said was partly true.... The anger and disappointment about teh news of the Dragic trade kinda transfered to Aaron Brooks.