How Dillon Brooks’ Return Will Impact The Memphis Grizzlies Going Forward
By Chris Kern
The Memphis Grizzlies have made it clear that Dillon Brooks is a part of the long-term future of this team. But how will he help this year’s team get back on track?
Dillon Brooks had a fantastic rookie campaign. He was one of the few bright spots in what was one of the Grizzlies worst seasons ever.
He averaged 11 points and three rebounds per game while starting in 74 of the 82 games the team played in. It wasn’t ideal circumstances but the second-round pick was able to show what he was made of in a big way.
Despite some great play in his rookie season, he was not selected to either of the all-rookie teams. He was very deserving but playing on a bad small market team really hurt his chances.
He had a career-high 36 points to end his rookie season in a road loss against Oklahoma City. It gave all fans high hopes for this upcoming season.
The Grizzlies have been missing a guy like him on the wing and his return should help in a big way. He finished with just two points and two assists on 1-5 shooting in just 12 minutes of action.
That number will continue to rise as he gets more games in and he could eventually work his way up to being the 6th man on this team.
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Some feel he may have the opportunity to close some games in place of Garrett Temple who has struggled recently. That is very unlikely though and he has had two good games back-to-back but it could become a possibility down the road
He did struggle earlier this season when we were playing so we do need to keep our expectations reasonable. His impact will at least provide a spark to the second unit which is desperately needed.
In the 12 games he has played in this season he is averaging just 6.4 points and 1.9 rebounds. He is shooting just 39% from the field and 33% from three-point range.
The team still has full confidence in him and they showed that by opting to keep in after the near-trade that would’ve brought Kelly Oubre to Memphis.
The Grizzlies have made Brooks a priority going forward and they think he can be a key piece for the future. He already seems to be a big steal after being selected with the 45th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
His toughness is something that fits perfectly in Memphis and on a team that prides themselves on the defensive end he provides the extra energy needed to get everyone else going.
The Grizzlies have struggled to find their ideal rotation all season but now with Brooks healthy hopefully they are able to figure things out soon.
They almost had it settled but then a couple of minor injuries allowed Jevon Carter to make his debut and now it seems like he needs to have consistent minutes.
Memphis really like Shelvin Mack as their backup point guard and it will likely remain that way for the foreseeable future.
On the wing, we should start to see Brooks get the most minutes. It seems as if the Grizzlies may lean towards Wayne Selden rather than MarShon Brooks.
Selden played 18 minutes in the win over the Lakers while MarShon played none. This could change on a daily basis but it seems as if both will see little playing time on a regular basis.
They both were almost dealt last week so it’s possible the team could look to move both of them as well. They wouldn’t get much value in those two but they have already shown they’re willing to trade them both.
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That means Dillon Brooks is their guy coming off the bench.
They trust him to play a big role and they’ll need him to make an impact on both ends of the floor.
He continues to improve as a jump shooter but he always plays with confidence which is key for a young player such as himself.
His ability to make plays on both ends of the floor will help the team and should lead to more success for the rest of the season.
The Memphis Grizzlies have struggled recently there’s no doubt about that. The return of Brooks is one of the very few bright spots this team has.
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We’ll have to wait and see how much of a difference he makes on the court but at the very least it is the return of a fan favorite who gives a ton of effort on the court.