Dillon Brooks has done his best to make himself the face of the Memphis Grizzlies over the past year, but the team clearly does not view him that way.
Brooks will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, and Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that the Grizzlies have informed the swingman that they are not interested in bringing him back.
Brooks was informed of the decision in exit meetings with team executives after the Grizzlies were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the opening round of the playoffs. The sides agreed that a fresh start would be best for everyone, according to Charania.
The Grizzlies were said to be unhappy with Brooks after the Lakers series. After Memphis won Game 2, Brooks called out LeBron James and suggested LeBron is not a big threat to opponents anymore. The Lakers won three of the next four games to close out the series in six.
Brooks was also ejected for hitting LeBron in the groin during Game 3 (video here).
After making himself the center of attention, Brooks disappeared and refused to meet with the media on multiple occasions. That led to a fine from the NBA.
In addition to growing tired of Brooks’ antics, the Grizzlies may have also been frustrated with the 27-year-old’s play. Brooks is known mostly for his defense and grit, but he has a tendency to play hero ball and take too many shots. He averaged just 10.5 points against L.A. despite taking 12.8 shots per game.
It will be interesting to see where Brooks ends up in free agency. Other teams may view him the same way that the Grizzlies do, and Brooks may think his value is a lot higher than it actually is.
