Dillon Brooks agrees to deal with Rockets, officially ending his Memphis Grizzlies tenure
Dillon Brooks' six-year tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies is over.
The Grizzlies defensive standout is signing with the Houston Rockets in free agency, according to ESPN. Brooks is the lone free agent from the 2022-23 Grizzlies team. His deal is reportedly four years, $80 million.
Brooks averaged 14.5 points on 41.6% shooting in six seasons with the Grizzlies. He joined Memphis in 2017 as a second-round pick who got to learn from Mike Conley and Marc Gasol.
Memphis went through a rebuild that netted two top-five picks that turned into Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant. Along with those players, Brooks helped reshape the identity of the Grizzlies into a playoff contender.
During the turnaround, Brooks' impact started to come under the microscope as the Grizzlies went 56-26 two seasons ago with him only playing 32 games. The 6-foot-6 forward was one of the healthiest Grizzlies starters this past season, but questions about his long-term fit continued as he shot a career-low 39.6% from the field.
Brooks leaves Memphis as one of the most polarizing players to play for the Grizzlies. While many fans loved his passion and defensive tenacity, others will remember his inability to become an efficient scorer.
In Houston, Brooks can still showcase the defensive skills that made him a member of the 2022-23 all-defensive second team. His offensive role in Memphis was getting smaller as Morant, Jackson and Desmond Bane grew as offensive players, and that won't be the case with the Rockets.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Dillon Brooks signs with Houston Rockets, leaves Memphis Grizzlies
