With the Grizzlies reportedly done with Dillon Brooks, a hole has opened in their starting lineup. Who could they look to bring in to fill the void?
All things must come to an end, and that seems to be the case for Dillon Brooks’ career with the Memphis Grizzlies. NBA insider Shams Charania reported Tuesday afternoon that the Grizzlies will not bring Dillon Brooks back “under any circumstances”, according to league sources.
The Memphis Grizzlies have informed pending free agent Dillon Brooks that he will not be brought back under any circumstances, league sources say.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 2, 2023
Full story and details at @TheAthletic: https://t.co/CRztYTgYi7
It would be one thing to simply say that he is not expected to return, but the “under any circumstances” line really brings a different energy. The team clearly has had enough of his antics and poor shooting, and the final straw had to be his performance against the Lakers in their 4-2 series loss. Now that Brooks is definitely being shown the door, the focus can go toward finding an upgrade at the small forward spot. Let’s start with a player they have already shown interest in during the season.
Grizzlies could target Nets Mikal Bridges as Dillon Brooks replacement
This is both the best, but least likely, option for the Grizzlies to upgrade over Dillon Brooks. Mikal Bridges was reportedly a target for the Grizzlies already during this year’s trade deadline, but he was ultimately sent to the Nets as part of the Kevin Durant trade. He was sensational in 27 games for Brooklyn, averaging 26.1 points, 2.7 assists, and 4.5 rebounds a night with excellent shooting splits.
He would immediately be the second option offensively, taking pressure off Desmond Bane and Ja Morant. His defense would be as good if not better than Dillon Brooks provided as well thanks to his length and athleticism.
The problem is that the Nets would need an absolute haul to trade him, and that’s if they even would be willing to. They may be rebuilding, but Bridges is a young and ascending player. They have no reason to move him unless a team is willing to overpay. It would take multiple firsts and likely a player like Desmond Bane to get it done, which would just open another hole in the lineup. This one seems a bit too rich.