NBA Rumors: Dillon Brooks is favourite for 'Bad Boys' Pistons
After Dillon Brooks and the Memphis Grizzlies were bounced from the first round of the NBA Playoffs, things went from bad to worse for the controversial star. The team quickly determined that Brooks wouldn't be returning the following season under any circumstances, kicking up a whirlwind of news as fans trolled him.
The situation came as the result of Brooks allegedly wanting a bigger role on offense this season, something many felt as though he didn't deserve. With his efficiency being questioned throughout the team's first-round matchup with the Lakers, a bigger role wasn't something the team was interested in.
Quickly, many wondered where Dillon Brooks would land. According to longtime reporter Marc Stein, Brooks could be a perfect fit for the Detroit Pistons. With the team poised to get a top pick in the draft, it sounds as though they could be looking to rebuild the 'Bad Boy Pistons' era.
Although the team has a good young core, and will likely have a good draft pick, Brooks could get more looks on offense without a heliocentric offense. Compared to the Memphis Grizzlies, who let Ja Morant largely handle things on offense, the Pistons could offer Brooks a bigger role.
Looking at Dillon Brooks' stats from previous years and his postseason controversy
This year saw Dillon Brooks' stats drop off slightly compared to last season. After averaging a career-high 18.4 points per game in 2021-22 on 43.2% from the floor, Brooks averaged just 14.3 points per game this season on 39.6%.
Notably, Brooks played more minutes per game than he did last season, and as a result, his numbers were expected to improve.
Add onto that the controversy he stirred up during the postseason as well, which reached a tipping point when he refused to speak with media members. In the eyes of many NBA veterans, the decision to shy away from the brash persona he had evolved over the season was a sign of weakness.
(Suggested Reading: Looking at potential landing spots for Dillon Brooks)
NBA veteran Matt Barnes called Dillon Brooks out for blaming the media, saying that he should have owned up to his trash talk.
"How do you talk s**t and then try to say that the media and the fans are making you a villain? And then when you start getting your head busted you don't want to talk to the media no more? It's easy to talk s**t when s**t is cool. But when your back is against the wall, you got to stand on what you're talking.
"And now you wanna 'I'm out' and 'I'm not talking to the media.' He's acting like a h**, straight up, and he's trying to point fingers at everyone else, that s**t is weak."
By joining the Detroit Pistons, Brooks could have the opportunity to lean into his villain role as the team reclaims the 'Bad Boy' title from the Isiah Thomas era.