3 reasons why the Rockets must pass on Dillon Brooks

3. Brooks is not a 3-and-D player

One of the more overused phrases in sports of late has been "3-and-D player". More often than not, it seems that we use this phrase to describe someone who isn't a "bucket getter".

But just because someone doesn't have prowess on the offensive end doesn't make them a 3-and-D guy. Rockets fans, of all people, know what constitutes a 3-and-D player. Think Shane Battier, P.J. Tucker, and even Trevor Ariza (let's forget about Game 7 in the 2018 Western Conference Finals). 

These are all players who have both a reliable 3-point shot and are capable of limiting the opposing teams best offensive threat, or at least making life difficult. Brooks certainly meets the criteria for the latter half of the phrase, let's acknowledge that, but let's dive more into what he brings on the offensive end.

Brooks' 3-point jumper (if we even want to call it that) is....let's just say inefficient. Brooks made just 32.6 percent of his triples this season on a healthy serving of six attempts from behind the arc. Sadly, that was an improvement from downtown from last season, as Brooks made just 30.9 percent on roughly five attempts from deep in 2021-22, which is putrid.

Now compare that to Battier, who made 39 percent of his triples in Houston. Or Tucker, who made 37 percent of his triples in Houston. I think you get the point. Brooks isn't established enough from downtown to bear the 3-and-D moniker.