Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks faces his old team, the Memphis Grizzlies, on November 20, and to no one’s surprise, the All-NBA defender brutally ripped his former club.
“You can see now they have no swagger,” Brooks said, via The Houston Chronicle. “We have swagger. We have an identity we’re building. Each and every game, we show it more and more. That’s what I want for my guys. That’s what I want for each and every guy on the floor: to play their best basketball.”
The Grizzlies did not re-sign Brooks this past offseason. Brooks joined the Rockets on a four-year, $86 million contract as part of a sign-and-trade deal.
The Rockets are 6-6 on the season, while the Grizzlies are 3-10. Brooks is averaging 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists for Houston while shooting 50.8% from the field, 50.0% from beyond the arc and 82.1% from the free-throw line.
“I know that as an organization, we put the work in to get the right guys,” Brooks said. “For me, I put the work in all summer to be ready for this moment — or these moments compiled together throughout the season. And I knew I would be one of those leaders to help guys like Jalen (Green), like Alperen (Şengün), like Jabari (Smith Jr.) to get better and better and figure out ways to make them better themselves.”
The Grizzlies lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 2023 playoffs in six games and Brooks didn’t play well. The swingman averaged just 10.5 points while shooting 31.2% from the floor and 23.8% from 3 against the Lakers.
Memphis told Brooks it would not bring him back during exit meetings and the franchise stuck to its word.
“I don’t worry about the past,” Brooks said. “I’m here building a future with these guys. I’m here for another three years and then some. I want to get the Rockets back to the playoffs and the Rockets to be one of the best teams.”
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