Jan 18, 2023; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks (24) drives to the basket as Cleveland Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert (3) defends during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
The Memphis Grizzlies made clear they don’t want to bring Dillon Brooks back next season. But someone will want him and these three teams make sense.
Free agency started early for Dillon Brooks after Shams Charania reported that the Grizzlies weren’t interested in bringing him back ‘under any circumstances,’ just days after they were eliminated by the Lakers.
The series was a disaster for Brooks, a fitting end to a season in which he led the league in technicals and nonsensical beef while shooting 39.6 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from beyond the arc. He is a stout defender but rumors that he would like a larger offensive role and a contract starting around $25 million a year are going to depress the market for his services.
Still, he will undoubtedly have suitors and an anonymous NBA GM pegged a few of them for Heavy’s Sean Deveney:
“There will be tax teams hoping to get him in on a one-plus-one (one year with a player option for a second) deal—come to us, we have a good culture, help us win, clean up your reputation, and then go back on the market next year. He’ll be in demand.”
“He can get $7 million for next year that way. The Heat would be a team like that, they could even start him and they can sell him on the culture there. The Celtics depending on what happens with Grant (Williams), that would be a spot. Phoenix, they will be looking for role players and Brooks could be a starter there, too. Same with Cleveland, they need a wing.”
Some teams on that list make more sense than others so we’re breaking down which teams could actually find Dillon Brooks most useful next year.
3 teams that might be willing to gamble on signing Dillon Brooks:
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers were exposed in the first round against the Knicks — a solid foundation of undersized backcourt creators and stout interior defense that didn’t have enough shooting or versatility to adjust to the Knicks’ counters.
The Cavs may explore trading Jarrett Allen but they’ve expressed interest in re-signing Caris LeVert and there’s a good chance they roll into next season with the same core. This offseason would be about upgrading the bench, adding wing defense and offensive versatility.
Brooks certainly checks the box as a defender and theoretically offers more offensive pop than Cedi Osman or Isaac Okoro. But he’s well below-average as a spot-up threat or secondary creator and it’s not clear that he’d be an upgrade over what the Cavs already have or what else is on the market. Still, the Cavs will have to at least kick the tires especially if he’s thin on other offers and they can land him on a lower-risk, lower-cost, short-term deal.