"He was worthy of the contract" - LeBron James buries past beef with Dillon BrooksÂ
LeBron James has moved on from his feud with Dillon Brooks, saying that Brooks was 'worthy' of his deal with the Houston Rockets.
Players like James have accomplished so much in the league. Due to the legacy and status that they have built, young and aspiring players will always want to put forth their best games against them.
This was the case for the rivalry between Brooks and James during the 2023 playoffs. Brooks was still playing for his former team, the Memphis Grizzlies, when he decided to aim shots at the Lakers star. It's safe to say that this move by Brooks didn't end well for him as the Grizzlies were eliminated in six games.
During the offseason, Brooks was traded to the Houston Rockets via a sign-and-trade, which involved the Atlanta Hawks, the LA Clippers and the OKC Thunder. The Canadian committed to a four-year, $80M contract, a considerable increase from the $11.7M per year he earned with the Grizzlies.
The Rockets are scheduled to face the LA Lakers at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday. Before the game, LeBron James said Brooks was 'worthy' of his contract with the Rockets during the shootaround, as per ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
"I think in his case, he was worthy of the contract that he got," James said. "He's put in the work since he came out of Oregon, and that's where Houston found value in him, and he's here."
LeBron James acknowledged the work that Dillon Brooks has put in ever since he arrived in the league. From defensive tenacity to shooting a career-best 59.3% through six games in Houston, the results of his work ethic are all being showcased right now.
LeBron James doesn't think too much of what happened between him and Dillon Brooks in the previous 2023 playoffs
The feud between LeBron James and Dillon Brooks erupted during the first round of the playoffs. The Canadian referred to the American as 'old' and kept getting in his face.
During the same interview session in shootaround, James touched on the same and said that he has moved on.
"He's [Dillon Brooks] one of those guys who loves to compete, along with a lot of other guys in our league," he noted. "But I don't really dwell on the past too much. I think you know me, over the years I kinda leave that in the past... How can we get our first road win [this season]? That's where my mindset is, for sure."
The Lakers are 3-4 after losing all four of their road games this season. Meanwhile, Dillon Brooks is coming off an impressive showing in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, representing Team Canada. He went home with the Best Defensive Player award as Canada secured the bronze medal.