Is Dillon Brooks a free agent? What happens after Brooks’ $25,000 fine? 

Dillon Brooks faces uncertain future with Grizzlies after fine and feud

Is Dillon Brooks a free agent? What happens after Brooks’ $25,000 fine? 

Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks (Via AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Dillon Brooks was not shy about expressing his feelings toward LeBron James during the Memphis Grizzlies’ first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers. But the outspoken guard may have also talked his way out of a return to the Grizzlies next season as he enters free agency this summer.

Brooks, who averaged 14.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in the regular season, was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Sunday for failing to participate in team postgame media availability during the series. The fine came on the same day that Brooks spoke to reporters for his exit interview, where he said he didn’t regret the fiery comments he made toward James throughout the series.

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“That’s who I am,” Brooks said Sunday. “I’m a competitor. I compete. I don’t think it got LeBron ‘geeked’ up. He’s back in the playoffs, it’d been a little while. He was ready to play.” This was after Brooks turned heads when he had a back-and-forth with James during Game 2 of that series, which Memphis won, and then told reporters, “I don’t care. He’s old. … I poke bears. I don’t respect no one till they come and give me 40.”

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Verbally challenging one of the NBA’s all-time greats was certainly a bold move, and things quickly went south for him and his team in the aftermath. James didn’t say much during the series, but he took to Instagram in the aftermath with an apparent reference to Brooks that said: “If you ever see me fighting in the forest with a Grizzly bear, HELP THE BEAR.”

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Dillon Brooks’ Future with the Grizzlies Uncertain After Fine, Feud and Free Agency

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Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks on the bench before game (Via Twitter)

The entire scenario put Brooks under quite the spotlight, especially since he is a role player for Memphis. That spotlight now shines on him as he enters free agency this offseason, and he did not rule out returning to Grizzlies as he spoke to reporters on Sunday: “They can possibly be good but I’ll leave it to my agent to handle that” — wants to focus on being better this summer.

However, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said that the team plans to take a “different approach” next season after encountering “self-created distractions” during the regular season and playoffs. “There were definitely some self-created distractions in the series and along the way. We’re gonna take a different approach as it pertains to that next season,” Kleiman said.

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Brooks, who is 27 years old, may have to look for another team that appreciates his confidence and competitiveness, or he may have to tone down his antics if he wants to stay with the Grizzlies, who are one of the NBA’s youngest and most promising teams. Either way, Brooks’ fine, feud and free agency have made him one of the most intriguing players to watch this summer.

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