• The Rockets started transitioning out of their rebuild by spending big money to sign Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks
• Houston is looking to break a three-year postseason drought in the post-James Harden era
• Dillon Brooks will receive a $1 million bonus if the Rockets make it to the playoffs
The Houston Rockets went out and overpaid for both Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks to prove to the league they’re moving back toward contention after three years of tanking. Even though the contracts handed out to the players were criticized, Brooks’ contract has a $1 million bonus if the team makes it to the playoffs, giving him extra incentive to help them make the postseason.
Dillon Brooks will earn a $1M bonus if he helps lead the Houston Rockets to the first round of the playoffs. 💰 pic.twitter.com/NzFFltHEkG
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 18, 2023
Brooks signing with the Rockets for $20 million annually was contentious, given how he performed in the 2023 Playoffs. But Brooks has proven value as a regular season defender, making the All-Defensive Second Team last season. He is also unafraid to challenge the giants of the game, even if it leads to being heavily panned by fans, players, and media.
Brooks averaged 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists last season with the Grizzlies. Regardless, he got a pay upgrade and got to move to a situation that clearly respects his talent and instigatory tactics.
Bad Contracts Handed Out By The Houston Rockets
The contracts that both Brooks and Fred VanVleet received this summer from Houston have been heavily panned by critics. Both players shot below 40% from the field last season and clearly aren’t the offensive solution that this team needed alongside Jalen Green.
Better players could be had with that money; these are crucial contracts that the Rockets needed on their books to ensure they met the salary floor, which requires them to spend 95% of their cap space before the start of the season.
VanVleet’s contract is a short-term liability as it has only two guaranteed years that net him over $82 million. This would be a valuable trade contract if the Rockets aim to make a big swing in the next season or two, given their abundance of draft assets.
Brooks is on the books for a longer time, getting four years and $86 million given to him. While there is definitely merit for an All-Defensive player to get paid like that, the reality is that Houston didn’t have any competition in the market. No team would’ve offered more than the non-tax MLE of about $11 million to Brooks on a short-term deal.
Both players were paid to fill salary space to meet requirements. Instead of spending it by acquiring expiring contracts in trades, the Rockets did it by signing defense-minded players under a new coach to put to winning use immediately.
Are The Rockets Threats To Make The Playoffs?
The Rockets will be a tough team to beat through all 82 games of the season. The team is still very young and will finally play with the energy and effort of a franchise that wants to win. But expecting a playoff appearance in Year One when the West looks as competitive as ever might be foolhardy.
They have more development to unlock from most of their young core in Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, Aleperen Sengun, and even rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore. VanVleet and Brooks will provide veteran structure, but it likely won’t be enough for them to outpace other teams in the West that have gotten better.
None of the playoff teams from last season have taken enough of a step back, while non-playoff teams like the Thunder and the Mavericks are looking stronger heading into next season. The play-in tournament should be their target, as that would be a more likely route into the postseason than hoping to lock up a top-six seed.
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