NBA Free Agency: Stock-up, stock-down based on the first round of the NBA Playoffs
By Ian Levy
NBA Free Agency stock down: Dillon Brooks
The Grizzlies were able to win Game 5 and extend their series against the Lakers but Dillon Brooks has arguably been an enormous drag on Memphis in this series.
His comments about not respecting “old” LeBron James were unnecessary motivation and he’s done nothing to back up his comments. He’s shooting 30.3 percent from the field and 21.6 percent from beyond the arc in this series, after shooting 39.6 and 32.6 percent, respectively during the regular season. LeBron is averaging 50.9 points and 7.3 assists per 36 minutes, shooting 50 percent from the field in the series on possessions with Brooks as his primary defender.
Brooks is a decent defender but an atrociously inefficient scorer who shoots way too much — his 21.1 field goal attempts per 100 possessions during the regular season were more than Tyrese Haliburton, Nikola Jokic, Karl-Anthony Towns or Jimmy Butler. There’s absolutely no justification for him having that large an offensive role on the Grizzlies or any other team.
He may end up landing a new deal with a playoff contender who feels like they need an “edge” but that contract might have been a lot more lucrative if he has just kept his mouth closed about LeBron and concentrated on making a few more open jumpers.