Tyreke Evans and Dillon Brooks have been two pleasant surprises this season. They’re the two reasons why the Memphis Grizzlies had a successful summer.
Let’s be honest. The Memphis Grizzlies’ situation in the summer could’ve resulted in a disaster. Four rotation players were entering the free agency, and they lacked the cap space to either bring them back or make legitimate moves. They didn’t have a first-round pick and lacked the assets to acquire one. One or two bad moves could’ve destroyed this team.
However, they nailed two acquisitions: Tyreke Evans and Dillon Brooks.
Both players flew under the radar, and the Memphis Grizzlies are reaping the benefits. Evans and Brooks are playing prominent roles with the Grizzlies and have been huge parts of their early-season success (the first six games, not the last eight).
Dillon Brooks was your typical “college veteran” prospect. He was excellent at Oregon, leading them to a Final Four appearance and winning PAC-12 Player of the Year over the likes of Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz and Lauri Markannen. Despite his positional versatility and lethal scoring touch, Brooks ultimately fell because of his age — the fate for most three-or-four-year players. He slipped to the 45th pick before the Grizzlies traded for him.
So far, Brooks has been a surprise out of the rookie class. He’s shown rare poise for a rookie, grabbing a starting role and playing big minutes. In addition, he just gets in hands in the game in some capacity. He’s been tasked with guarding stars like James Harden, Klay Thompson and CJ McCollum. Brooks has also flashed a reliable scoring touch from just about anywhere. The Memphis Grizzlies found a player who could be a key piece both now and the future in the second round. That’s making the most for not having a first-round pick.
Tyreke Evans has been one of the best stories of the season. After signing a $3M deal with the Grizzlies, many people might have seen this as a “last chance” for Evans. Instead, he’s thrived. In fact, he looks like the best player for the Grizzlies so far. He’s averaging 18.5 points — his highest scoring average since his rookie year. He’s also found the magic touch from deep, shooting 42.9 percent. The Grizzlies needed to find a fiddle next to Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, especially given Chandler Parsons’ health issues. With Tyreke Evans, they found a player who has played better than the stars.
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With a deeper Western Conference and limited offseason options, this past summer was crucial for the Memphis Grizzlies. Adding Tyreke Evans and Dillon Brooks were two moves that could help the Grizzlies extend their playoff streak this year.