When it comes to former Memphis Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks, perhaps his most polarizing attribute is his willingness to voice his thoughts and opinions, be it based in reality or sheer fiction.
Though he may now be a member of the Houston Rockets, his words are still somehow tracing their way back to Grind City.
In a recent sit down with The Athletic’s Kelly Iko, Brooks took what appeared to be a subtle dig at his former team, particularly Ja Morant, seemingly suggesting that his shooting efficiency should improve significantly now that he has a point guard talent like Fred VanVleet who, in his eyes, has the ability to create for others that he may not have had surrounding him last season.
“He finds ways to get guys open shots and I just gotta start knocking them down, that’s all. I can’t wait to play with Fred. He’s a crafty guard, loves to find his teammates, but ultimately can find a way to score, too. I can’t wait to play him and our games mix well,” Dillon Brooks said when asked how playing with VanVleet could aid in his shooting effectiveness and efficiency.
Ja Morant no-look to Dillon Brooks in transition!
— NBA (@NBA) February 5, 2021
Early in HOU vs. MEM on NBA LP pic.twitter.com/Ez9tuJiIzF
Though automatically assuming Dillon Brooks is taking a direct shot at his former Grizzlies teammate with his recent comments may be perceived as a bit premature, his past examples of public wordplay suggest that he doesn’t make grandiose statements without a clear motive behind them.
However, even if he didn’t necessarily mean to dig at Ja Morant, the comment itself is a wild stretch.
Brooks’ words seem to infer that his shooting woes from 2022-23 were due to having lacking shot creators around him which, considering Memphis’ superstar guard averages 10.9 assists per 100 possession for his career and registered a career-high 8.1 assists per game last season, is a statement that could rather easily be tossed out the window.
Throughout his final season with the Grizzlies, Brooks converted at an abysmal 32.6 percent on his long-range attempts despite hoisting up a career-high 6.0 shots per contest. Of these types of attempts, 281 came off catch-and-shoot opportunities, which was by far the top mark on the team and ranked 51 in the entire association.
Though it’s an inarguable fact that a guy like Fred VanVleet is a very willing passer in the association (tied for first in passing off drives to the paint and dished out 7.2 assists per game in 2022-23), getting open shots never seemed to be a problem for Dillon Brooks during his time in Memphis, specifically when seen running in the lineup alongside the likes of Ja Morant.
To suggest it was a major factor in his poor shooting efficiency is a bit of an overstatement.
Wild Grizzlies trade proposal lands new $136 million All-Star cornerstone
Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes constructed a trade that would send All-Star forward Pascal Siakam to the Memphis Grizzlies.