Tag: Armoni Brooks

Stephen Silas shares offseason tidbits in live Q&A with Rockets fans

In a YouTube Q&A prior to the launch of his documentary, head coach Stephen Silas answered questions from fans about the 2021-22 Rockets.

In a live YouTube Q&A just prior to the launch of his personal documentary film, Rockets head coach Stephen Silas answered numerous questions from Houston fans regarding the 2021-22 team.

Here’s a sampling of some of the most insightful responses, as it pertains to offseason work by the Rockets and the upcoming training camp.

Scoot [Kevin Porter Jr.] has been working here in Houston most of the summer. He has been focusing mostly on his shooting.

Jalen [Green] and Scoot are going to play on and off the ball. Both will be able to play fast and in space. C-Wood’s versatility allows them to play to their strengths. … C-Wood [Christian Wood] is underrated.

I first met Jalen [Green] when he came to visit before the draft. We went to dinner, then he came to my office, where we watched some film.

I am focusing on both on- and off-court development for the young guys. I just want them to get better everyday.

I love Armoni [Brooks]. He has been in the gym all summer. He can REALLY shoot.

JT [Jae’Sean Tate] has also been in the gym all summer. Definitely looking for big things from him. So versatile.

The archived Q&A between Silas and Rockets fans can be viewed in the YouTube chat section. It lasted for approximately 30 minutes on Friday night, just prior to the launch of his personal documentary. All of the initiatives are being run through the team’s exclusive YouTube channel.

Silas will also speak at Monday’s official Rockets media day, with training camp for the 2021-22 season beginning on Tuesday.

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Report: Rockets sign Armoni Brooks to Exhibit 10 contract

With a training camp deal in place, the Rockets and Armoni Brooks are effectively buying more time to determine his future with the team.

The Rockets and 6-foot-3 guard Armoni Brooks reached agreement Friday on an Exhibit 10 contract, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The new deal will allow the second-year sharpshooter to report to training camp with the team when it begins in late September.

“Brooks had long been considered likely to be with the Rockets at camp given their appreciation for his play and growth last season and his belief that he could continue to improve and carve out a niche with the Rockets,” Feigen writes.

NBA teams can bring up to 20 players to training camp, but they can only carry a maximum of 15 players under standard contracts. Assuming those slots are filled — and they are in Houston, at the moment — that leaves room for up to five players on training camp deals (i.e. Exhibit 10) or two-way contracts. Brooks joins second-year forward Tyler Bey and rookie guard Daishen Nix as Houston’s three Exhibit 10 signings, while Houston has  rookie forward Matthew Hurt signed to a two-way deal.

According to Feigen, Brooks is among the players under consideration for a final roster spot or to play with another two-way contract, as he did last season. While the Rockets do have 15 players under standard deals, the contract for Khyri Thomas is non-guaranteed, which could leave an opening for a regular contract if Brooks plays well enough in camp.

Now 23 years old, Brooks averaged 11.2 points (38.2% on 3-pointers) and 3.4 rebounds last season in 26.0 minutes. In his rookie year 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.

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Rockets release behind-the-scenes documentary of 2021 summer league

The team’s behind-the-scenes footage is focused on first-round draft picks Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba, and Josh Christopher.

The Houston Rockets released a new documentary this week highlighting their recent stint at the NBA’s 2021 Las Vegas Summer League.

Published on the team’s YouTube page, the film features behind-the-scenes footage from practices and all five games, in which the Rockets went 3-2. Not surprisingly, the focus is on recent first-round draft picks Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Usman Garuba, and Josh Christopher.

Statistically, here’s a look at how each of Houston’s top players fared during their time at the NBA’s annual summer showcase.

  • Jalen Green (3 games): 20.3 points (51.4% FG, 52.6% on 3-pointers), 4.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists in 24.1 minutes
  • Armoni Brooks (2 games): 17.5 points (44.4% FG, 42.9% on 3-pointers), 4.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists in 24.7 minutes
  • Josh Christopher (5 games): 16.8 points (38.5% FG, 18.2% on 3-pointers), 4.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists in 27.2 minutes
  • Alperen Sengun (4 games): 14.5 points (43.2% FG, 37.5% on 3-pointers), 11.0 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 2.8 assists in 25.0 minutes
  • KJ Martin (4 games): 12.5 points (47.6% FG, 31.2% on 3-pointers), 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 blocks in 28.3 minutes
  • Khyri Thomas (2 games): 10.0 points (27.8% FG, 36.4% on 3-pointers), 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists in 27.6 minutes
  • Anthony Lamb (5 games): 7.2 points (36.1% FG, 33.3% on 3-pointers), 5.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists in 23.2 minutes
  • Usman Garuba (3 games): 4.0 points (33.3% FG), 8.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.0 steals in 18.0 minutes

The summer league documentary can be viewed below in its entirety.

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Led by Armoni Brooks, Rockets finish summer league with wild comeback win

With three starters out, Armoni Brooks scored 30 points and hit nine 3-pointers as Houston finished summer league with a wild comeback win.

Second-year sharpshooter Armoni Brooks didn’t play for most of the 2021 Las Vegas Summer League, owing to a stint in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. But in his second game since returning, and his first with major minutes, Brooks delivered quite a closing statement on Tuesday.

Brooks led Houston with 30 points on 9-of-17 shooting from 3-point range (52.9%), including the tiebreaking shot during a 12-0 run in the game’s final 70 seconds. Even with regulars Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and KJ Martin all out for rest, the Rockets (3-2) defied the odds in Tuesday’s summer league finale with a 95-92 victory over Portland (2-3). After trailing by seven with barely over a minute left, Houston’s full-court pressure defense forced three late turnovers to rescue the game.

Rookie guard Josh Christopher also had a strong performance with 20 points (57.1% FG), 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, while rookie forward Usman Garuba made his first summer league start and had his best NBA game so far with 8 points (60% FG), 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals, and a key block in the closing seconds. But it was Brooks who stole the show during a wild comeback win, and it should give Rockets general manager Rafael Stone plenty to think about as 2021 free agency rolls on.

Now 23 years old, Brooks isn’t yet under contract for next season. However, Houston issued Brooks a qualifying offer this month, which makes him a restricted free agent and gives the Rockets matching rights in free agency for any scenario where Brooks signs with another team. It’s also possible that Brooks could simply accept the qualifying offer and return to Houston that way, or he could negotiate a longer deal.

See below for highlights and postgame reaction by Brooks, Christopher, and summer league head coach Will Weaver. Portland was led in defeat (box score) by Antonio Blakeney, who scored 23 points.

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Armoni Brooks to debut Sunday for Houston’s summer league team

Second-year guard Armoni Brooks missed Houston’s first week of summer league play due to health and safety protocols, but he returns Sunday.

Second-year sharpshooter Armoni Brooks will play in 2021 Las Vegas Summer League action for the first time on Sunday when the Rockets face off against the Orlando Magic. Brooks had missed Houston’s first three games due to a stint in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

“I have a little catching up to do in terms of my personal conditioning,” Brooks told Jonthan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “Sitting on your butt can really put a tag on you when you’re used to working out every single day. Just getting a couple workouts in, getting my legs back under me and getting back in the rhythm, and I’ll be ready.”

In his first pro 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, the 6-foot-3 guard averaged 11.2 points (38.2% on 3-pointers) and 3.4 rebounds in 26.0 minutes per game.

As of now, the 23-year-old isn’t yet under contract for the 2021-22 season. However, Houston did issue Brooks a qualifying offer earlier this month, which makes him a restricted free agent and gives the Rockets matching rights during any upcoming contract negotiations.

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Outlook: Offseason projections for 2020-21 Houston Rockets roster

With the 2020-21 regular season in the books, we look back at the performances of Houston’s roster and rank the likeliest to return.

For the first time in nearly 40 years, the Houston Rockets finished an NBA regular season with the league’s worst record in 2020-21. But that doesn’t mean the year was devoid of bright spots to build around.

Young center Christian Wood earned all-star consideration prior to a severe ankle sprain, and veteran point guard John Wall showed flashes of the form that made him a five-time All-Star earlier in his career. Prospects such as Jae’Sean Tate, Kevin Porter Jr. and KJ Martin burst onto the scene, punctuated by Porter’s historic game (50 points, 11 assists) in a feel-good victory over Milwaukee in late April. Porter, Tate, Martin and Wood were identified as the team’s “young core” to build around.

Veteran big man Kelly Olynyk also made quite an impression around Toyota Center by posting some of the best numbers of his career after his acquisition by Houston at the March 25 trade deadline.

Yet, the status of the franchise’s roster entering the 2021-22 season remains very much in flux. Given Houston’s newfound rebuilding state, general manager Rafael Stone is likely to leave no stone unturned (pardon the pun) in searching for free agency or trade upgrades and potential paths to acquiring another superstar talent — similar to what they had in James Harden, prior to Harden’s forced departure in January.

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There are also complicated decisions to be made involving free agents. For example, if Olynyk wants to stay, Houston has the financial means (Bird rights) to offer whatever it takes to get a deal done. But will he accept the type of proposal that could maintain financial flexibility for Stone to pursue better players in future offseasons? After all, while Olynyk was a good player with the Rockets, he’s certainly not a star.

With those types of considerations in mind, we’re ranking the team’s final 2020-21 roster by likelihood of returning — with categories of very likely, more likely than not, questionable and doubtful. Given Houston’s rebuilding state, it would be silly to call anything 100 percent or zero.

Keep in mind that there aren’t unlimited roster spots. For example, if Houston uses all three of its current 2021 first-round draft picks on players who are immediately available to play, that could require opening three roster spots by this fall. Similarly, any signing of an external free agent in August could take away a roster spot from a 2020-21 player.

Read on to see our tiers, with links to each individual player’s personal profiles and the factors likely to be considered.

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Rockets rookie Armoni Brooks says he studies Seth Curry closely

On the Curry brothers: “They both just move so well without the ball. They really come off screens with great speed, footwork, and balance.”

Despite going undrafted in 2013 and being relatively undersized for his position, current Philadelphia 76ers guard Seth Curry slowly carved out a role for himself as one of the NBA’s top shooters.

As a result, it makes good sense that rookie sharpshooter Armoni Brooks — who played with the Houston Rockets in the 2020-21 season — looks up to Curry as someone to potentially pattern his game around.

A 6-foot-3 guard, Brooks shares similarities with Curry in that both are somewhat undersized for an NBA shooting guard, yet neither has much professional history as a primary ball-handler or facilitator at point guard. Thus, for their teams to justify giving up size on the defensive end, they know their value as 3-point shooters needs to be elite.

For Seth Curry, the proof is in the statistics. Over his career, he’s a 44.4% shooter from 3-point range, which is as elite as it gets. Brooks isn’t at that level just yet, but his 38.2% clip as a rookie — on high volume at 7.9 attempts per game — was quite impressive, and he set a record for 3-point makes over the start to any NBA player’s career.

On a recent Locked on Rockets podcast with Jackson Gatlin, Brooks was asked if he watched film of top shooters such as Golden State’s Steph Curry (Seth’s older brother) to pick up some pointers. While Brooks said he does, he then pointed to the younger Curry — who could be a better comparison, since he’s less accomplished as a ball-handler — as someone he would seemingly like to emulate. Among his comments:

I watch a lot of Seth Curry highlights.

They both just move so well without the ball. They really come off screens with great speed, footwork, and balance. Every time they touch the ball, you think it’s a shot.

With them being able to shoot the way they can, hopefully I can reach the shooting capabilities that they have. If I can pick up a few nuances that they have in their game, then I think I can really make a jump.

Brooks should have quite a few opportunities to watch the Seth Curry in the 2021 playoffs, since the 76ers are the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and highly likely to advance to at least the second round.

Known best for his quick release, Brooks averaged 11.2 points (38.2% on 3-pointers) and 3.4 rebounds in 26.0 minutes for the Rockets this season. As for Curry, he scored 12.5 points in 28.7 minutes per game with the Sixers, headlined by a blistering 45.0% clip on 3-pointers.

The complete Brooks podcast can be listened to below, as well as via major distributors including Apple, Google, and Spotify.

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2020-21 Rockets roster review, offseason outlook: Armoni Brooks

Brooks doesn’t yet have a contract for the 2021-22 season, but Houston will have the ability to make him a restricted free agent.

Rockets Player: Armoni Brooks, 6-foot-3 guard, 22 years old

Statistics in Houston: 11.2 points (38.2% on 3-pointers), 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists in 26.0 minutes per game

Professional Experience: One NBA season, two NBA G League seasons; went undrafted in 2019

Contract Status: Played on two-way contract in 2020-21, does not yet have a deal for 2021-22. Houston can make him a restricted free agent.

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. Though he doesn’t currently have a contract for the 2021-22 season, Brooks recently indicated that he expects to work out with the Rockets in the offseason and play on Houston’s Summer League team, which competes in Las Vegas from Aug. 8-17.

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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.

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

Stephen Silas proud of development shown by Rockets’ rookies

After Sunday’s game, Silas singled out Jae’Sean Tate, KJ Martin, and Armoni Brooks as among the standouts when it comes to development.

At 17-55, the Houston Rockets finished the 2020-21 regular season with the NBA’s worst record. It’s the first time that has happened for the franchise in nearly 40 years (1982-83).

Yet, head coach Stephen Silas still sees plenty of reasons for optimism entering the 2021 offseason. For starters, the lowly record was largely a product of a forced early-season trade by superstar guard James Harden, coupled with a historic wave of injuries up and down the roster.

Adjusting for context, Houston did find what general manager Rafael Stone has referred to as a “young core” of Christian Wood, Kevin Porter Jr., KJ Martin, and Jae’Sean Tate — and many of those players improved as the season progressed. While Wood and Porter weren’t able to finish the season due to ankle injuries, Tate and Martin were on the court in Sunday’s finale at Atlanta, and Silas appreciated their contributions.

In a postgame interview, Silas was asked about the development shown by many of the roster’s younger players. He responded:

Before the game, I kind of went through every guy, and how they have surpassed what anybody thought about them. All the guys that we had in the locker room. Jae’Sean, he should be All-Rookie First Team, to me. He has done so much for this group, on and off the floor, as a rookie. He’s started a bunch of games, and guarded fives, and brought the ball up the floor. He does so many things.

KJ Martin, for me, he could be Most Improved Player. Because at the beginning of the season, I didn’t know if he was going to play at all. And he became someone that was making threes, and playing good defense, and doing a lot. For those guys, they should have confidence going into next season. I’ll make sure that they know… how well they really did.

And then Armoni (Brooks), I assume he still has the record for most threes made in the first 20 games now of a person’s career. For him to do that, with all these guys who have played in the NBA, he’s the one who has the record. Yeah, I’m proud of those guys and the development that they’ve had.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx1VEnPRHEU

All three of Tate, Martin, and Brooks surpassed what most viewed as reasonable expectations for them as rookies. Tate started 58 of 70 games played, with both figures highest on the roster. He averaged 11.3 points (50.6% FG), 5.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 29.2 minutes per game, and he was also one of Houston’s best and most versatile defenders.

Martin averaged 9.3 points and 5.4 rebounds in 23.7 minutes, and his 3-point stroke (36.5%) was far better than expected. Meanwhile, Brooks scored 11.2 points in 26.0 minutes per game, and he shot 38.2% from 3-point range — even on very high volume of 7.9 attempts per game.

Tate and Martin are under contract with the Rockets for two and three more seasons, respectively, while Brooks is poised to become a restricted free agent this offseason. Assuming they can keep him, all three should be important parts of Houston’s supporting cast in the years ahead.

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