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This one happened a few days ago, but we overlooked it with all the draft coverage going on, but the Houston Rockets extended qualifying offers to both Armoni Brooks and Anthony Lamb.
NBA source confirms the #Rockets extended a qualifying offer to former @UHCougarMBK star Armoni Brooks (@snipabrooks_ ),who played in 20 games, averaging 11.2 points. They also extended a qualifying offer to forward Anthony Lamb, who played in 24 games, averaging 5.5 points
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) August 1, 2021
The deals are essentially two-way contracts for both players with a small guarantee of $50,000, meaning they both are now considered restricted free agents, so the Rockets would have the option to match any team’s offer for either player.
Brooks had the more impressive run last year of the two players, going for 11.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists with 38 percent shooting from beyond the arc. He scored in double-digit points in Houston’s last seven consecutive games, including a career-high 24 against the Los Angeles Lakers on May 12.
Lamb was less effective, as he averaged just 5.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1 assists on 39 percent shooting. He did have a career-high 22 against the Philadelphia 76ers on May 5, but with all the new, young talent in H-town, this qualifying offers seems a little surprising to me.
I do hope that Brooks is back, however, because he did show some real potential last season, particularly as a scorer, and the 23-year-old should fit right in on a rebuilding franchise.