Dillon Brooks returns to Memphis for his latest game against his former team, the Grizzlies, on January 7th.
This was his first time playing against them as a member of the Phoenix Suns, and he looked motivated. He led the team to a 117-98 victory at FedExForum, scoring 21 points.
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After the game, Brooks reflected on his time in Memphis, where he played from 2017 to 2023. The Grizzlies were the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference in each of his final two seasons, but they chose to move on from him.
They’ve yet to reach those heights again, and Brooks has his own thoughts on why that’s the case.
“I just think they moved too fast,” he said. “Especially when I was out there, Des (Bain) was out there, (Steven Adams) was out there. I think (the Grizzlies) were moving too fast, trying to be (creative) too fast, and it kind of bit them in the butt.”
The Grizzlies parted ways with Brooks in the 2023 offseason. They missed the playoffs during an injury-plagued 2024 season, then were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2025 playoffs.
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Brooks made a number of noteworthy comments after leaving Memphis. That included him accusing Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman of hurting his confidence during the 2023 playoffs.
In 2023, Brooks also talked about how he didn’t have games planned for him to help him find a rhythm. After the Suns won, he said he still hadn’t scheduled the game for himself, but he was already working hard on the game and he believed in the trust the Suns’ coaches, players and organization had in him.
“You have to be willing to communicate and trust the players and they’re going to play hard for you,” Brooks said. “I don’t think that’s what I’m seeing right now (in Memphis).”
Da’Michael Cole is a staff writer for the Memphis Grizzlies’ Business Attractiveness. Contact Dammichael: damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X (formerly Twitter), @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Business Appeal: Dillon Brooks talks Memphis Grizzlies after Phoenix Suns win
