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Dillon Brooks’ shot selection led to his Grizzlies departure

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Sports Editor

Updated28 Sep 2023

Dillon Brooks shot selection led to his Memphis Grizzlies departure

Dillon Brooks’ shot selection with the Memphis Grizzlies led to his sign-and-trade with the Houston Rockets earlier this month. “I think the reasons the Grizzlies were ready to move on from him are misunderstood,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on The Lowe Post. “The nonsense was kind of like at a point where culturally it was time. That was not the primary reason.

“The primary reason the Grizzlies were trying to replace Dillon Brooks for a full two years, repeatedly going after players that would have replaced him in the trade market, and he probably would have been sent out, was because of the shot selection issue. Dillon did not want to be a fourth or fifth offensive weapon.”

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Desmond Bane signed a five-year, $197.23 million rookie scale extension with Memphis earlier this month. The Grizzlies also traded for Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart and signed former New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose to a two-year, $6.55 million deal. Not to mention, Memphis acquired forward Isaiah Todd from the Phoenix Suns.

Dillon Brooks likely would have seen less playing time next season. Even then, news emerged after Memphis’ first-round exit to the Los Angeles Lakers that Memphis wouldn’t bring Brooks back “under any circumstances,” per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Dillon Brooks did not want to be a fourth or fifth offensive weapon with the Memphis Grizzlies, shot selection led to his sign-and-trade with Houston Rockets

Furthermore, in 73 starts with the Grizzlies in the 2022-23 season, Dillon Brooks averaged 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and a career-high 30.3 minutes per game. The sixth-year forward also shot a career-low 39.6% from the floor.

In Memphis’ 115-109 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Dec. 17, the 6-foot-7 wing recorded a season-high 32 points, four boards, one assist, and one block in 38 minutes as a starter.

Brooks signed a three-year, $35 million extension with Memphis in 2020. The Oregon product was projected to earn $22,627,671 in 2023-24 and $22,255,493 in 2024-25. However, the forward left the Grizzlies in free agency to ink a four-year, $80 million deal with Houston in a sign-and-trade agreement.


In a five-team trade, the Grizzlies traded Brooks to Houston; the Atlanta Hawks sent Alpha Kaba to the Rockets; Houston dealt Usman Garuba and TyTy Washington Jr. to Atlanta; and the Rockets traded Kenyon Martin to the Clippers and sent Josh Christopher to Memphis.

Additionally, the Rockets traded Patty Mills to OKC; the Clippers traded Vanja Marinkovic to the Grizzlies; and the Thunder traded cash to the Atlanta Hawks. Of course, the Hawks later traded Washington Jr. to OKC for Mills.

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