During the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies a couple of months ago, Dillon Brooks waged war with LeBron James.
After Memphis won Game 2, he called James old, and he hit the four-time MVP in the groin early in the third quarter of Game 3 at Crypto.com Arena, which led to him being ejected.
Brooks also showed an utter lack of class and grace when he refused to talk to the media following L.A.’s wins in Game 3, Game 4 and Game 6.
Before that, there was the altercation Brooks got into with Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe at courtside during a game versus the Lakers in January.
Therefore, it is very surprising the Lakers met with the forward during free agency a few weeks ago before he ultimately joined the Houston Rockets (h/t Lakers Daily).
Via The Athletic:
“To my knowledge, the Dallas Mavericks were said to be seriously in the mix for Brooks’ services,” wrote Kelly Iko. “Milwaukee was also keeping close tabs on the situation on the off chance Khris Middleton took his talents elsewhere. Brooks also met with the Lakers, but there was no smooth pathway to acquiring him given their cap situation, unless the Lakers were prepared to go down the complex sign-and-trade path that Houston did.”
Brooks would’ve been an interesting acquisition for the Lakers. While he can defend, he is a very poor 3-point shooter, and he is regarded as a dirty player. Therefore, he likely would’ve had a hard time fitting in within head coach Darvin Ham’s rotation and style of play, especially given the team needs 3-point shooters around James and Anthony Davis.
