Rockets guard Aaron Brooks was suspended for one game by the team for walking off the court late in the Rockets win over the Memphis Girzzlies on Saturday. Brooks was pulled off the court with 6:45 left in the game, and walked directly into the locker room. The Rockets next game is tonight, against the Denver Nuggets.
Brooks has been growing frustrated with his role this season after a breakout year last year. His contract runs out after this year, and his value has probably taken a significant hit with a mostly lost season. He lost six weeks with an ankle injury and hasn't been able to show the shooting touch that helped him win the Most Improved Player award last year.
The Rockets have added a lot of talent to the back court over the last year and Brooks appears to be the odd man out in the rotation. According to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, coach Rick Adelman has found some of his own frustrations with constructing a working rotation.
“We have a lot of people at the ones, twos and threes and not enough minutes for everybody,” said Adelman, who at times has seemed frustrated himself with the juggling act. “I’ve been just trying to go with the feel of the game and see how we can win that particular game.”
Brooks' 30.2 percent shooting on his three point attempts hasn't really helped him earn minutes in the Rockets crowded back court. His shooting was his calling card last season, and it has been no where to be found so far this year. There is a chance he could regain that touch with increased playing time, but behaving like he did on Saturday isn't the best way to get minutes under Rick Adelman. Just ask Von Wafer.