M. Brooks, Mine Red Claws:
G GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
3 3 38.0 49.3 42.9 .750 2.0 5.0 7.0 4.7 2.0 1.7 2.67 3.67 29.0
Clearly Brooks is superior to his D-League opponents. However, minutes translate to productions and his history with the Nets makes that point - as a rookie he was forced into heavy minutes and his performance was good for a first-year player. Losing minutes to more established players on the Nets and now the Celtics has kept him from achieving a necessary comfort level when he was getting into games. At the first opportunity, I'd like to see him in the Celtics lineup playing significant minutes, but AB and JC are playing well and Rondo will return. If Ainge does try to avoid the problem of signing both Bradley and Crawford, it might open the rotation to require more from Brooks (Bayless is now in the mix, a further complication). MarShon gives them more size at the position, and he might be able to draw defenses out a bit to open the inside. He gives Stevens flexibility to put a big or small team on the floor when it's advantageous; none of the other guards can do that.
There also may be another factor working against Brooks if he were to play up to his offensive potential - it might create a compromise to Ainge's current short-term vision for the team. Having a potent 2 guard with Rondo at point might put the Celtics into dangerous (for the vision) territory of finishing too high.