Dillon Brooks was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft. Within minutes of being drafted, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies – the franchise that he would remain with for six seasons. There, Brooks became a household name, and not for all of the right reasons. Memphis is looking to reinvent themselves right now after two disappointing playoff runs. The team has decided to cut ties with Brooks and allow him to enter free agency. This off-season, he is in search of a new team.
Dillon Brooks 2023 NBA Free Agent Profile
Strengths
Statistically, Dillon Brooks is one of the better defensive small forwards in the league. In his final season in Memphis, Brooks was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
The 2022-23 Kia NBA All-Defensive Second Team!
▪️ Bam Adebayo (@MiamiHEAT)
▪️ OG Anunoby (@Raptors)
▪️ Dillon Brooks (@memgrizz)
▪️ Draymond Green (@warriors)
▪️ Derrick White (@celtics)@Kia | #NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/qqXvV9Kllv— NBA (@NBA) May 9, 2023
This honor was presented after Brooks ranked sixth in the entire NBA for defensive rating among qualifying players. His rating was a 108.5. His build and abilities make him viable enough to guard any position outside of center. He is the type of guy that can make the job of the opposing team’s best player very difficult. With a 6’6″ wingspan, he often finds himself in position for steals. Furthermore, he is also capable of preventing athletic forwards and guards from driving to the basket.
On offense, Brooks has shown that he can contribute double-digit numbers on a nightly basis. In five of his six seasons in the NBA, Brooks averaged double-digit points per game. Over the past three seasons alone, he averaged 16.3 points a night. Most of his scoring numbers come from mid-range and three-point shots. For his career thus far, he is shooting .416%.
Weaknesses
One of the major reasons Memphis is moving on from Dillons Brooks is because of his antics. He has built himself a reputation for being a trash talker. However, he often fails to back up his words with his on-the-court play. During the team’s exit interviews, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman made it clear he was ready to rid the team of Brooks’s mouth.
“We’re going to take a different approach as it pertains to [trash talk] next season. You’ll see a different approach from this team, but at the same time, confidence is important.”
When Brooks’s trash talk is not benefitting the team, it can certainly be viewed as a weakness. Another weakness of his is his inconsistent shooting. While he is efficient at scoring points, his shooting can be very streaky. In the 2023 playoffs, Brooks shot .312% from the field. This was a significant dip from his .396 percentage that he had in the regular season. His poor shot selection is one of the glaring reasons that Brooks falls into shooting slumps at points throughout the season.
Potential Fits
Due to the questions around Brooks’s ability to control his trash talk and shoot efficiently, it is unlikely that he will be demanding a lot of money in free agency. Teams will probably be looking to bring Brooks in on a cheap and short prove-it deal before committing big money to him.
The Milwaukee Bucks are a team that looks like they will be retooling. They have taken gambles on controversial players in the past like Grayson Allen and Jae Crowder. Much like those players, Brooks would be expected to come in and just provide high-level defense for the team. He may not be the type of player that can replace a guy like Khris Middleton, but he would certainly help fill out the roster. Taking a backseat to Giannis Antetokounmpo may actually help Brooks level out his shooting inconsistencies.
Another team that could be interested in Dillon Brooks is the Los Angeles Lakers. Considering the history that Brooks has with LeBron James and the Lakers, this seems like it would be trying to fit a triangle into a circle hole. However, the Lakers had no answer for the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers need to add players that can defend Denver’s backcourt, and Brooks is the best available option on the market that can do just that. Brooks would have to swallow some of his pride by joining the Lakers, but in terms of the fit on the court, it is a perfect match.
The team that brings in Brooks will probably be one that feels as if they are a defensive role player away from contending for a title. The Bucks, Lakers, or another borderline title contender make the most sense as suitors to bring Brooks in on an affordable short-term deal.
