The 2024-25 season is over for the Memphis Grizzlies, and it's hard to say that the year went anything like what was expected. After being the most injury-riddled team in the association in 2023-24, the hope was that Memphis would get back on track and re-establish themselves as a top-tier team in the Western Conference.
Technically, they did achieve that... But only for a short time. After rising as high as the second seed in the standings over halfway through the season, the Grizzlies encountered more injuries and found themselves plummeting down. What was once a promising year turned into a play-in appearance for Memphis.
We all know what happened from there, as the sting of a 4-0 first round sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder still hurts for Grizzlies fans. There's certainly reason to think Memphis could have made this series at least a little more competitive if Ja Morant had played in the final two games, but hypotheticals unfortunately don't win a playoff series.
Injuries are a part of every season for every team, but they can't be the sole reason the Grizzlies' season ended up like this. Memphis was lacking something else this season, and that brings us to one very familiar name: Dillon Brooks.
Is it unreasonable to say the Grizzlies would have liked to have a guy like Brooks on their roster this season? I don't think so. After free-falling in the standings post-All-Star break and then completely wilting under pressure in the playoffs, Memphis could have used their former wing's services.
The Grizzlies could use Dillon Brooks' competitive edge
Let's not forget just how vital Dillon Brooks was to the Grizzlies during his time in Grind City. Beginning his professional career with Memphis way back in 2017, Brooks played a part in bridging the gap between the Marc Gasol and Mike Conley Grizzlies teams of old to the Ja Morant era of today.
Certain fans aren't going to like Brooks because they view him as dirty or something of the like. Say what you want about his game, but Dillon has always had that gritty mentality that's been associated with Memphis teams of the past. His tough-nosed defense and competitive edge were culture-setting factors that brought this team an intangible they're lacking right now.
And if we're looking at the big picture, the Grizzlies truly haven't reached the same levels since they let Brooks go back in 2023. Memphis won 56 and 51 games during Dillon's last two seasons with the franchise. They've had other challenges to deal with since then, but they still haven't been able to capture the same kind of success.
Meanwhile, Brooks and the Houston Rockets put together a 52-win regular season this year and earned the second seed in the West. That team won't win a championship because of their lack of a true franchise star, but Brooks' floor-raising ability and culture-setting habits are clearly evident there.
Hindsight is 50-50. It's easy to see now just how much the Memphis Grizzlies miss and need a player like Dillon Brooks, but letting him go in the manner they did was an egregious mistake to begin with. It depends on what happens next in the Ja Morant era, but we could look back on Brooks' departure as a turning point in this franchise's history.