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Grizzlies rumors: Dillon Brooks’ ‘bad influence’ led to ugly breakup
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- Grizzlies rumors: Dillon Brooks’ ‘bad influence’ led to ugly breakup
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The Memphis Grizzlies have been mired in the trade rumor mill recently, with ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reporting that the team was open to trading star point guard Ja Morant. It's been a swift fall from grace for a Grizzlies team that once looked to be on the cusp of something special in the Western Conference.
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One of the defining members of the early 2020s Grizzlies teams was Dillon Brooks , who is currently having an excellent season with the Phoenix Suns , having departed from Memphis after the 2022-23 season.
Recently, Tim McMahon of ESPN highlighted some of the rationale that led the Grizzlies to not want Brooks back following that year.
"Memphis made no attempt to retain Brooks in free agency, in part, sources said, because the front office was concerned that his incessant trash talk and inflammatory antics had become a bad influence on the team's young core," reported McMahon, noting that Brooks was "emblematic of a cocky team that didn't back up its bold talk."
That certainly seemed to be the prevailing sentiment after the Grizzlies' 2023 playoff loss to the Los Angeles Lakers , in which Brooks repeatedly trash talked LeBron James , which backfired immensely. Brooks also suffered through a disastrous shooting performance in that series, ultimately signing with the Houston Rockets in free agency the following summer.
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However, while Grizzlies fans may have become tired of Brooks' antics then, they'd certainly love the energy and defensive intensity he provides in the present day, as well as an expansion of his offensive game that few saw coming.
Brooks is one of the leading scorers on a Suns team that has blown away expectations in the West this year, while the Grizzlies appear on the verge of the end of the Morant era altogether amid their tough season.
Hindsight, as they say, is 20/20.
Related: NBA rumors: What would a Ja Morant trade to the Heat could look like?
Related: Sources: Ja Morant's 'silent' Grizzlies trade request charted path toward potential Heat deal
