Previous week’s games
02/23/2011 SUNS 105, Hawks 97
Upcoming week’s games
02/25/2011 SUNS @ Raptors, 5 p.m., My45
02/27/2011 SUNS @ Pacers, 10 a.m., My45
02/28/2011 SUNS @ Nets, 5 p.m., My45
03/02/2011 SUNS @ Celtics, 5:30 p.m., My45
Aaron Brooks (right) and Goran Dragic are switching team colors.
As this year’s NBA trade deadline approached yesterday afternoon, it appeared the Phoenix Suns would stand pat. The word from both the local and national media was that the Suns liked the direction the team is heading and felt they’ve finally started building chemistry and didn’t feel making a move was worth the risk.
This seemed very much true right up until the closing minutes of the deadline. That’s when The Arizona Republic‘s Paul Coro broke the news that the Suns were sending backup point guard Goran Dragic and a first-round pick in June’s draft to the Houston Rockets for point guard Aaron Brooks. Needless to say, this was quite the surprise.
It took me a while to fully digest the trade. Anyone that knows me knows that I’m a big Dragic fan. I like his potential and the talent he has shown. I think he will end up being very good in this league and he’s one of the nicest people I have ever met. So, it’s certainly sad to see him go.
But receiving Brooks in return could end up being very good.
Last season Brooks had a breakout season, winning the Most Improved Player award. This season has seen Brooks take a big step back, but an early season injury could be the cause of that. Brooks hurt his ankle in the fifth game of the season and by the time he recovered he had lost his starting spot. He has yet to regain his form.
A change in scenery may be just what Brooks needs. Based on his performances playing against the Suns, Brooks should excel in the uptempo offense the Suns run.
Overall, I like the trade. It gives the Suns an added spark off the bench that is sure to come in handy as the playoff race tightens up. This year, the bench has often given up leads, so something needed to be done. This move has the potential to fix that problem.
The Suns were worried about toying with the chemistry that they had recently started to build. This trade should have little impact on that. At worst, this would be a lateral move and the Suns would basically be in the same spot they’ve been in. At best, it could pay huge dividends, as Brooks has shown he can be an explosive scorer.
Dragic will be very much missed, as he was a crowd favorite, and it’s always hard to part ways with someone you’ve become such a fan of, but we’ll always have game three of the Western Conference semifinals against the Spurs.
