2023 Free Agency

Dillon Brooks lands 4-year deal with Rockets in sign-and-trade

Dillon Brooks is moving on from Memphis after spending his first 6 seasons with the franchise.

From NBA.com News Services

Defensive-minded Dillon Brooks is headed to Houston on a 4-year deal.

Dillon Brooks is moving on from the Memphis Grizzlies.

Brooks signed a reported four-year, $80 million deal with the Houston Rockets on July 8. Brooks joined the Rockets via a sign-and-trade deal involving five teams: the Rockets, Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks, LA Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder.

However, his move to Houston makes him the second reported veteran to find a free-agency home in Houston, joining Fred VanVleet (who agreed to a reported three-year, $130 million deal on Friday).

In the swap, the Rockets get Brooks and the Draft rights to Alpha Kaba (who was selected in the 2017 NBA Draft) and two future second-round picks (via the Clippers). The Thunder get veteran guard Patty Mills (who was traded to Houston earlier in the offseason and was then moved to OKC) and three future second-rounders.

The Hawks get youngsters Usman Garuba and TyTy Washington Jr. from the Rockets, as well as two future second-round picks from Houston and cash considerations from OKC. Houston also deals Josh Christopher to Memphis and Kenyon Martin Jr. to the Clippers in this trade, too.

Rockets get: 

  • Dillon Brooks (via sign-and-trade with Grizzlies)
  • Draft rights to Alpha Kaba (via Hawks)
  • Two future second-round picks (via Clippers)

Thunder get: 

  • Patty Mills (via Rockets)
  • 2024 second-round pick (via Rockets)
  • 2029 second-round pick (via Rockets)
  • 2030 second-round pick (via Rockets)

Hawks get:

  • Usman Garuba (via Rockets)
  • TyTy Washington Jr. (via Rockets)
  • Two future second-round picks (via Rockets)
  • Cash considerations (via Thunder)

Grizzlies get: 

  • Josh Christopher (via Rockets)

Clippers get:

  • Kenyon Martin Jr. (via Thunder)

Brooks, drafted by the Rockets for Memphis with the 15th pick of the second round (No. 45 overall) in 2017, has now built upon the completion of his three-year, $35 million extension with the Grizzlies.

The 6-foot-7 swingman averaged 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds 2.6 assists per game last season for the Grizzlies. He is known as a defensive-minded player and was named to the 2022-23 All-Defensive second team. Aside from his defense, Brooks may have also been known for the antagonist role he took on against opponents like LeBron James, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson in playoff series throughout the years. 

Brooks turned up the heat in this year’s opening round series against LeBron James and the Lakers.

However, his role as such was not without its baggage. He was ejected from Game 3 of the Grizzlies’ first-round series this year against the Los Angeles Lakers after he struck James in the groin. He said afterward that the flagrant foul 2 he received was an accident and that he believed his reputation in the media and among the basketball public lead to his ejection.

“The media making me a villain, the fans making me a villain and then that just creates a whole different persona on me,” Brooks told reporters in late April.

Brooks led the NBA with 18 technical fouls this season, earning a pair of one-game suspensions in the process. He described his own playing philosophy during the series as: “I poke bears,” and he made headlines across the league by dismissively calling James “old” even though the 27-year-old Brooks was the oldest active player on his own roster.

Brooks also got tossed for striking Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell in the groin in February. He was even thrown out of a playoff game last season for a flagrant foul on Golden State’s Gary Payton II, earning another suspension.

Additionally, he was fined $25,000 by the NBA for his decision to not talk to the media after the Grizzlies’ loss in Game 6 of the Lakers series which ended Memphis’ season. It was also the second fine for Brooks this year, with the 6-foot-6 forward/guard having to pay $35,000 for shoving a camera person on the sideline while chasing a loose ball in Miami in March (he later apologized).

As the season ended, Memphis general manager Zach Kleiman said about Brooks’ future with the Grizzlies: “I’ll hit on DB another day. Nothing I can comment on.”

After the Grizzlies’ first-round playoff exit, reports emerged they would be likely parting ways with Brooks in the offseason. With Memphis in the rearview, Brooks will serve as a veteran presence to a slew of young talent including 2023 No. 4 overall pick Amen Thompson as well as Cam Whitmore, Jabari Smith, Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr. and Alperen Sengun. 

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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