Armoni Brooks targets defense, strength in offseason work with Rockets

Brooks doesn’t yet have a contract for the 2021-22 season, but it sounds as if he’s anticipating and hoping to stay with Houston.

Houston Rockets sharpshooter Armoni Brooks doesn’t yet have a contract for the 2021-22 season, but it doesn’t appear that the 6-foot-3 guard is planning or wanting to be with another franchise.

In his first NBA season after going undrafted out of college, Brooks set a record for the most made 3-pointers (60) over the first 20 games of any NBA player’s career. Overall, he averaged 11.2 points (38.2% on 3-pointers) and 3.4 rebounds in 26.0 minutes per game with the Rockets.

After signing a two-way contract with Houston for the 2020-21 season, the 22-year-old’s future isn’t contractually secure. However, it certainly appears that Brooks is in Houston’s plans, and similarly, it doesn’t sound like he wants to stray from the team where he had his breakthrough.

In a new podcast appearance on Ball is Life’s Noble & Roosh Show, Brooks said this regarding his upcoming offseason in 2021:

I just know they want me working out with them over the summer, so that they can see my development. I’m going back down there next week, to start back working out with them.

I think, once we get closer to the free agency period, we’ll really know what’s going on, in terms of me coming back.

Brooks indicated that he expects to play on Houston’s Summer League team, which will compete in Las Vegas from Aug. 8-17. Considering the young talent on Houston’s current roster — including a pair of other rookies in Jae’Sean Tate and KJ Martin — as well as the three first-round picks owned by the team in the July 29 draft, it could be the most intriguing summer roster for the Rockets in quite some time. Second-year guard Kevin Porter Jr. could potentially be a consideration, as well.

“We could have a really good Summer League team,” Brooks said.

With his shooting already in elite form, Brooks stressed that defense and developing more physical strength would be his 2021 offseason priorities. On the podcast, Brooks said he wants to become a “3&D player.”

The full episode, which also features reviews by Brooks of the coaching staff and several of his Houston teammates, can be listened to below.

[lawrence-related id=49414,49008]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klW8l-vFLW8