Grizzlies guard cites key area of improvement in 2023
Fresh off a career year in 2022, Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks is looking to build on his stellar play. During his availability on media day, the 26-year-old touched on some key areas of improvement for himself in 2023.
While Brooks averaged an impressive 18.4 PPG last year, he did it on roughly 16 shot attempts per night. He struggled greatly with his efficiency, especially from beyond the arc. His 30.9 three-point percentage was the lowest mark of his career by a fairly wide margin.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks having solid training camp
Heading into this season, Brooks’ shot selection is one of the many areas of focus for him. “Just finishing more on the key, less midrange, technical foul calls so I can get free points and just mixing in more hitting the roller, playmaking, stuff like that,” he said.
The Grizzlies are a team that prides itself on its defense. Part of why they are tough on that side of the floor is the versatility of Brooks. However, if he starts to cause problems on offense, it could lead to his having a lesser impact on the other end.
With Ja Morant being a downhill threat that does his damage at the rim, the Grizzlies need guys who can effectively space the floor. With that in mind, they need Brooks to get back to being, at minimum, a league-average shooter from deep.
Following the first day of training camp, head coach Taylor Jenkins touched on the play of Brooks. He also brought up shot selection as an area of focus while praising him for his passing.
"For him, It’s just identifying shot selection, shot opportunity, when to be aggressive, when to playmake,” Jenkins said. “Today in practice, he did a beautiful job of playmaking for his teammates."
Brooks hasn’t been much of a passer throughout his career, but it’s something he continues to improve. Last season, he dished a career-high 2.8 assists per game.
The Grizzlies have already come out and said they view Brooks as a foundational piece, but this is still a big year for him. How he performs will greatly impact the type of deal he gets in free agency next summer.
As Memphis looks to compete in a stacked Western Conference, they will need Brooks to improve his shot choices and efficiency numbers.