Dillon Brooks signs four-year, $80 million deal with Rockets

Dillon Brooks signs four-year, $80 million deal with Rockets

Dillon Brooks has signed a four-year, $80 million deal with the Houston Rockets, ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski first reported Saturday.

Free agent G Dillon Brooks has agreed on a four-year, $80 million contract with the Houston Rockets, his agent Mike George of @OneLegacySports tells ESPN. Rockets have now landed two targets in free agency — Fred VanVleet and Brooks. pic.twitter.com/dJHLWvwFjX

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2023

Woj notes that the Grizzlies are expected to get a hefty trade exception as a part of the deal. According to HoopsHype’s Yossi Goslan, the trade exception would be worth $11.4 million (based on Brooks’ 2022-23 salary) because of base-year compensation rules with the sign-and-trade; though the exception could be shrunk to $8.9 million if Josh Christopher–who was traded to Memphis (per Kelly Iko)– is involved in that same trade.

The Grizzlies are finalizing a sign-and-trade with Houston on Dillon Brooks' new deal and will generate a substantial trade exception, sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2023

The Grizzlies can generate a $11.4M trade exception for Dillon Brooks due to BYC limitations.

If Josh Christopher is all Memphis is acquiring, then it’ll become a $8.9M trade exception. https://t.co/Ha3GHIQ7tn

— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) July 1, 2023

The Houston Rockets are trading Josh Christopher to Memphis, sources tell @TheAthletic.

— Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) July 1, 2023

The Rockets were expected to be active in free agency because they needed to reach the $122.4 million salary floor. Well, they are now expected to have a payroll exceeding $130 million and have now allocated over $240 million to Brooks, Fred VanVleet and Jock Landale.

Fred VanVleet signs three-year $130 million deal with Houston Rockets

Brooks, who’s spent his entire career with the Memphis Grizzlies, averaged 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 0.9 steals last season. He shot 39.6 percent from the floor, 32.6 percent from 3-point range and 77.9 percent from the free-throw line.

The 27-year-old was informed in May by the Grizzlies organization that he would not be brought back to the team. Brooks was an All-Defensive honoree in 2022-23 and helped spearhead one of the best defenses in the NBA at the point-of-attack last season, but had questionable on- and off-court antics that led to his dismay in Memphis.

He joins an organization that lacked any sort of structure, especially on the defensive end, where he can provide an immediate lift.

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The Rockets hired defensive-minded head coach Ime Udoka in April and are expecting continued growth from their young core of Jalen Green, Jabari Smith — two former top-3 picks — and Tari Eason.

Over his six-year career, Brooks has averaged 14.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists on 41.6 percent shooting and 34.2 percent from deep. The end of his Grizzlies tenure left a sour taste in fans’ mouths, but there is still intrinsic value to a defender as versatile as Brooks is; anything Udoka is able to get out of Brooks offensively (with his shotmaking specifically) is icing on the cake.

This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates.

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