As MarShon Brooks gets bigger, his role gets smaller

MarShon Brooks got bigger over the off season, adding about 10 pounds, he says. He also got bigger in the NBA, becoming more of a fan favorite, becoming the star of the Nets Shop, even extending his reach to Russia, where he participated in Basketball Without Borders and had dinner with Mikhail Prokhorov and friends at the US ambassador's residence. Heady stuff.

But as the Nets have added wings, Gerald Wallace last season, Joe Johnson and Josh Childress in the off-season, Brooks is not a starter any more, but he's still committed, saying his goal is Sixth Man of the Year. In talking to Tim Bontemps and SLAM Magazine, Brooks says he's happy with the transition. "

"It’s fun. It’s a challenge every single day," he said. "I think everybody’s got their hands full on this team. Every single day you come to practice, if you don’t come with it you’ll get your [butt] busted." Avery Johnson says going up against Johnson, Wallace and Childress is a big help for Brooks. "He had a good practice yesterday … but he struggled a little bit early on, and I understand why. There were times last year when he was the best guy, and he could get his shot off pretty easily." The coach and Brooks understand that.

• Nets’ youngster Brooks adjusts to smaller role - Tim Bontemps - New York Post