Dillon Brooks shades Grizzlies organization for moving on 'too fast'

Dillon Brooks returned to Memphis on Jan. 7 for his latest matchup against the Grizzlies, his former team.

This was his first time playing against them as a member of the Phoenix Suns, and he looked motivated. He led the team with 21 points in the 117-98 win at FedExForum.

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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 elected to move on from him.

They have yet to reach those heights again, and Brooks has an opinion on why that’s the case.

“I just think they moved too fast,” he said. “Especially when I was there and Des (Bane) was there and (Steven Adams) was there. I think (the Grizzlies) moved too fast, trying to be (inventive) too fast and it kind of bit them in the butt a little bit.”

The Grizzlies parted ways with Brooks during the 2023 offseason. They missed the playoffs during an injury-riddled 2024 season, then were swept in the first round of the 2025 playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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Since leaving Memphis, Brooks has made many notable comments. Among them was when he called out Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman for hurting his confidence during the 2023 playoffs.

In 2023, Brooks also talked about how he didn’t have plays run for him to help find a rhythm. After the Suns' win, he said he still doesn’t get plays run for him, but he has worked on his game, and he credited the belief the Suns' coaches, players and organization have put in him.

“You got to be willing to have communication, have trust in the players, and they play hard for you,” Brooks said. “I think that’s not what I see over there (in Memphis) now.”

Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Dillon Brooks talks Memphis Grizzlies after Phoenix Suns win