Rockets 2021-2022 player previews: Armoni Brooks

Armoni Brooks made the most out of his opportunity during the final 20 games of the 2020-21 season.

He averaged 11.2 points while shooting 38.2 percent from behind the arc. And during the final four games of the year, Brooks became one of the Houston Rockets’ primary scorers, averaging 18.0 points on 42.2 percent shooting from deep.

Brooks’ play did not award him a contract during free agency, but the Texas native will be one of several players competing to secure a roster spot for the 2021-22 NBA season.

If Brooks can outshine his peers during training camp, he will find his way playing meaningful minutes on a nightly basis for the Rockets. If not, the former University of Houston prodigy will likely continue his career as a member of the Rockets, but would mostly spend the bulk of the season playing for their G-League-affiliated team, the Rio Grand Valley Vipers.

There’s a reason for Brooks to place a significant amount of pressure on himself, but there is one way he can create separation between himself and his contemporaries.

Entering 2022, Brooks is without a doubt the Rockets’ best three-point shooter. They ended the previous year with the third-lowest three-point shooting team percentage (33.9 percent), and Houston could still use significant help with their three-ball following the players general manager Rafael Stone acquired during the summer.

The addition of Brooks to their 15-man roster helps the Rockets keep a three-point sniper on the team — and one that will not create a financial burden.

In the short amount of time Brooks played on an NBA floor, the 23-year-old sharp-shooter made history by setting a league record for the most three’s made by a rookie in their first 20 games with 60 triples.

Based on his shooting alone, Brooks should find playing time under Stephen Silas this coming season. But the most important factor that will come into play for Brooks is his defense.

If Brooks kept his word to enhance his defense throughout the offseason, he would establish himself as a reliable three-and-D player for the Rockets. If so, Brooks would find himself in 2022 as a foundational piece of a rebuild in Houston alongside Christian Wood, Kevin Porter Jr., Jalen Green and Jae’Sean Tate.