Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks seems to have dropped off since his contract extension, should this be cause for concern?
Earlier this month, the Memphis Grizzlies signed Dillon Brooks to a three-year, $35 million extension. A good indicator of how far he’s come since he was drafted, Memphis fans seemed unilaterally in favor of the move.
Still, there are a few superstitions that all sports fans are familiar with: the Madden cover curse, the sophomore slump, and in this case, the new-contract decline.
It’s almost a rule in sports, a player signed to a long-term (or even a short-term) contract seems to drop off immediately following their extension. Has this proved true for Brooks? The stats themselves would seem to suggest yes.
Before his extension, Brooks was averaging 15.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.9 steals per game, while shooting 41.3 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from 3-point range, and 83.4 percent from the free throw line.
Since his extension, Brooks has been averaging 11.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.8 steals per game. The troubling part is his shooting efficiency. Brooks is shooting 27.6 percent from the field, 16.7 percent from 3-point range, and 45.5 percent from the free throw line since his contract was extended. Is this statistical drop off concerning?
One argument for way it could be concerning is the fact that the team as a whole hasn’t seen a similar drop off over the same stretch. Before the extension, the Grizzlies were averaging 113.0 points, 45.8 rebounds, 27.4 assists, and 8.0 steals on a shooting split of 47/35/77. Since Brooks extension, the Grizzlies have averaged 112.5 points, 52.0 rebounds, 24.0 assists, and 7.5 steals on a shooting split of 46/30/70. While there has been a slight dip in the Grizzlies performance, it doesn’t explain Brooks decline; so what is it then?
More from Beale Street Bears
- Dillon Brooks speaks out after beating former Grizzlies teammate in World Cup
- Jaren Jackson Jr. puts ex-Grizzlies teammate on notice
- 3 players Grizzlies would consider trading Ja Morant for
- Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. put on blast following FIBA elimination
- Ex-Grizzlies guard signs with title favorite, joins forces with 6-time All-Star
Well, one of the explanations could be the level of competition the Grizzlies have faced since they extended Brooks. In those six games, three of the teams are in the playoff race, and five of them are in the top nine seeds in their conference. In particular, Brooks has had to face competition like Jalen Brunson, Bradley Beal, CJ McCollumn, and Bogdan Bogdanovich, all of whom would put defensive pressure on him.
Another aspect to consider in this is the fact that Brooks was having a career year before his contract extension. In fact, if Brooks were to be averaging his post-extension numbers for the entire season, he’d still be averaging career highs in nearly every category.
It’s likely that Brooks is going to keep struggling for a little while too, considering the level of competition the Grizzlies still have to face. In fact, Memphis’ next four opponents are the LA Clippers, the Houston Rockets, the Sacramento Kings, and the Los Angeles Lakers, all of whom are going to put up tough competition at Brooks position.
Despite this, it’s unlikely that Brook’s struggles will continue. The Grizzlies have the toughest schedule post All-Star break, and the Western Conference is full of talented backcourts. The Grizzlies will be that one day, but for now, it’s important not to lose faith in the successful season that Brooks has already been having.