The Memphis Grizzlies opted not to attempt to retain Dillon Brooks in free agency during the 2023 offseason, with front office concerns about his impact on younger players playing a major role in the decision, sources said. The organization felt that Brooks’ continued nonsense and provocative behavior had become detrimental to the team’s developing core.
Selected in the second round of the 2017 draft, Brooks had emerged as a leader during Memphis’ rise as a competitive force. Ultimately, however, he became representative of a confident side that failed to back up its brash rhetoric with consistent performances.
The 29-year-old winger signed a four-year, $86 million contract with the Houston Rockets after leaving Memphis. That decision came after a tumultuous end to his six-year tenure with the Grizzlies, which included a controversial first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Brooks has since flourished with the Phoenix Suns after being acquired by Kevin Durant last summer. He is averaging 21.3 points per game, the highest mark of his nine-year career, while helping Phoenix to a 24-16 record.
“I think overall there was just no trust between the top and the bottom, players and front office,” Brooks told ESPN. “I felt like I got the short end of the stick, but it motivated me to be better.”
The Grizzlies have struggled since Brooks’ departure, missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. Meanwhile, Brooks has established himself as a cornerstone of Phoenix’s cultural transformation under owner Mat Ishbia.
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