The season is now over and speculation is running around on who the Bulls will add this offseason to improve the dismal shooting guard situation. A very likely scenario for this offseason will involve the Bulls drafting a shooting guard. I profiled one possible pick, Klay Thompson, in a recent article.
Another potential target for the Bulls this year is Marshon Brooks, and according to this ESPN article, the Bulls are interested. And there certainly is reason to like Brooks.
A great thing to like about Brooks is his size. At 6'5", Brooks has good size for an NBA shooter. An even more attractive feature is his 7'1" wingspan. This size allows Brooks to be a very decent rebounder for a guard, and makes him a good fit for the Bulls rebound-then-run offense.
Another benefit of Brooks' wingspan is defensive ability. Or potential defensive ability. Brooks isn't the greatest defender at this point, but obviously has the physical skill set to do so. A season or two under the tutelage of Tom Thibodeau will make him a potential stopper on defense.
The best skill of Brooks by far is his speed. Think of him almost as a bigger, slightly slower Derrick Rose. Brooks is capable of driving the lane extremely well and scoring in transition, and this could be why the Bulls are so interested in him as a player. A fast break with the speed of Rose and Brooks could potentially be lethal.
No matter how crazy it sounds, ESPN, in the article above, compares Brooks to Kobe Bryant when he entered the league. Brooks has some similar moves and mannerisms to Kobe, and is said to share the desire Kobe has to always improve his game. Always a great quality for a player to have, and the quality that made Rose into the player he is.
The question mark with Brooks is his shooting. He is a decent shooter inside the three-point arc, nothing great, nothing terrible. His three-point shooting seemingly is not too bad at 34 percent. But the three-point line is a little closer in college basketball. Outside shooting is a quality the Bulls obviously value for a player alongside Rose, and a quality that Brooks does not excel in.
Brooks is a scorer, plain and simple. He averaged nearly 25 points during the college season, but is noted for being somewhat of a ball-hog. Similar to Kobe when he entered the league, Brooks at times can force crazy, improbable shots. Under an outstanding coach such as Thibodeau, this issue should quickly be solved.
Another very negative aspect about Brooks is his assist numbers. For a player who can drive the lane whenever he wants, it seems logical he would average many assists a game from driving then kicking out to an open shooter. However, Brooks only averaged 2.5 assists, which helps to paint the portrait of somewhat of a ball hog at times.
Brooks is really rising up draft charts, and is expected to be taken somewhere in the mid teens. With the Bulls drafting at 28 and 30, they have little chance to take Brooks without trading up. With two first-round picks, the Bulls certainly do have the ammunition to make such a move, but whether they do remains to be seen.
Brooks is big, fast, and can drive the lane. His shooting is decent, but sometimes he forces wild shots. That description also described a point guard the Bulls took No. 1 overall a few years ago. Since they both posses similar skill sets in transition, and have both shown to improve each year, why not pair Rose and Brooks together in a backcourt.
Diora Baird Laura Prepon Ashley Scott Michelle Behennah Julie Benz
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