For the first time since the big trade, and in his 6-year career, Rockets swingman Dillon Brooks is set to return to FedEx Forum as a member of the visiting team. In honor of his return to the city, Brooks opened up on the trade and whether or not it bothers him how it all ended.
“Yeah, it obviously does,” said Brooks. “I’m in a better place now, but if things were different… I love Memphis, I loved my teammates. But before I saw what was brewing in Houston, I wanted to be in Memphis so there’s no hard feelings. I’m just gonna feel the energy when I bring it.”
Full Dillon Brooks quote on his exit from Memphis:
"I'm in a better place now, but if things were different…"
Pretty clear he wanted to be back, but as reported back in May, the Grizzlies had no interest. pic.twitter.com/zWLWLIbaPY
— Matt Infield (@Matt_Infield) December 15, 2023
Brooks admits that he was surprised when the Grizzlies decided not to bring him back, but maintains that he has no ill will toward his former franchise. In fact, he seems to still hold a special regard for the place as a home away from home.
“Happy to be back, seeing things I saw for seven years, seeing new things get built up which is great for Memphis. Got to sleep in my house, I miss the city.”
Brooks, 27, signed a 4-year, $86 million contract last summer that will keep him in Houston through 2027. He’s having a career year with the franchise so far but it’s hard not to look back and feel some regret about how his final months in Memphis played out.
Redemption Season For Brooks
At the end of the 2023-23 campaign, when the Grizzlies were humiliated in the first round by the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooks was pinned as the odd man out in Memphis. At the time, his struggles from the perimeter made him a liability on the floor and his habit of trash-talking the competition often caused more trouble than it was worth. Perhaps Brooks’ biggest sin was leading Ja astray, who would earn a 25-game suspension for his reckless behavior on social media.
Coming into the summer of 2023, Dillon was the laughingstock of the league and fans were certain that he wouldn’t be able to secure anything over a minimum-level contract. Through the first quarter of this season, Brooks is proving all the doubters wrong with the best shooting season of his career (46%) on averages of 13.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. He’s played a huge role on a Rockets team that has vastly over-achieved so far this season and is on track to finish this season as one of the best role-players in the league. Funnily enough, the Grizzlies could really use this version of Brooks this season.
Grizzlies Have A Long Way Up
The good news for Memphis is that Ja Morant is set to make his season debut next week, and his return will give the Grizzlies a much-needed boost to the lineup this season. At 6-17, they’ve fallen to 13th in the standings and are a whopping 6.5 games back from the final play-in spot in the West. To even make the playoffs, the Grizzlies will need to play nearly perfectly from here on out — and even then, it may not be enough.
Tonight, with Brooks and the Rockets in town for a brutal December matchup, the Grizzlies will get a bitter reminder of what they’re missing out on this season. After letting Dillon go for basically nothing in return, they are still searching for someone who can fill his shoes and step up in a similar role.
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