Grizzlies Inform FA Dillon Brooks That He Will Not Be Re-Signed ‘Under Any Circumstances’

The Memphis Grizzlies have made a decision that has rocked the internet.

Grizzlies pending free agent Dillon Brooks will not be brought back “under any circumstances,” according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The oft-maligned forward is expected to part ways with the organization and seek a fresh start elsewhere this summer.

The Memphis Grizzlies have informed pending free agent Dillon Brooks that he will not be brought back under any circumstances, league sources say.

Brooks famously told media (when he was still talking to the press) that he “pokes bears” and “don’t respect no one til they come and give me 40.” These comments, among others, provoked NBA All-time leading scorer LeBron James to kick into a higher gear and rally the Los Angeles Lakers to eliminate the Grizzlies in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs.

Per Charania:

Brooks’ first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers was considered to be a breaking point. In the span of the Grizzlies’ series loss in six games, he called LeBron James, the Lakers’ best player and a four-time NBA champion, “old,” “tired,” and suggested he was not as good as he used to be. Brooks punched James in the groin area in Game 3, earning an ejection. He missed a defensive assignment to help on James on the game-tying basket in Game 4, and then gave up a critical basket to James in overtime of that loss. Brooks also chose not to speak to the media after three of the losses in the series, resulting in a $25,000 fine by the NBA.

The Lakers also left Brooks open during the series and dared him to shoot, using the extra defender to keep All-Star Ja Morant from driving or to blitz Desmond Bane on the perimeter. Brooks shot 31.2 percent from the field and 23.8 percent from 3-point land in the series while averaging 10.5 points and shooting nearly 13 shots per game.

Even prior to the series, Brooks was considered to be a low-tier NBA starter, and the Grizzlies had unsuccessfully attempted to improve at the small forward position via trade. It is unclear who will be interested in Brooks come July.