Pros and cons of Dallas Mavericks signing Dillon Brooks

The Dallas Mavericks must improve their roster this offseason, and Dillon Brooks made headlines on Tuesday morning after Shams Charania reported that the Memphis Grizzlies will not re-sign him "under any circumstances" (subscription required).

This comes after the Grizzlies lost to the Lakers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Brooks finished this series averaging 10.5 points per game and shooting 23.8 percent from downtown.

This all came after Brooks called LeBron James "old" and made other interesting comments after the Grizzlies won Game 2 of the series.

The pros and cons of the Dallas Mavericks signing Dillon Brooks

"I poke bears," Brooks said. "I don't respect no one until they come and give me 40."

Just one game later, Brooks "poked the bear" a little too hard and was ejected from Game 3 of the series for a flagrant two foul after he hit James in the midsection 17 seconds into the second half. It was evident that Brooks wasn't going for the ball as he reached to go for the steal on James' behind-the-back dribble. Stealing the ball from a player on a behind-the-back dribble is nearly impossible.

The next day Brooks was confused by the negative buzz surrounding his name and didn't hold back from telling reporters how he felt.

"The media making me a villain," Brooks said. "The fans making me a villain and then that just creates a whole different persona on me,"

At that moment Brooks deflected all of the backlash he was getting back on to the media and the fans. He didn't accept the possibility that he may have done that himself.

Now, he won't even have the option to return to the city that he has called home for the past six seasons. He will be playing for a different team next season, and the Dallas Mavericks could be in the mix for his services. Here is a look at the reasons they may or may not pursue him.

Pro #1: Dillon Brooks' value is at an all-time low

Dillon Brooks is entering free agency with little leverage in contract negotiations. He's been more of a distraction than a player as of late, and his contract in free agency will likely look much different than how he desires.

And this is one reason why the Dallas Mavericks should consider bringing him in.

The Mavericks could bring him in on a team-friendly deal as Brooks has considerably decreased his value through his actions over the last few weeks.

This is a negative for Brooks and his negotiating, but a plus for Dallas if they choose to pursue him. They can use this as a reason to not pay Brooks as much and make it clear that he must tone it down off the court before the Mavs are willing to offer him a larger contract.

If the Dallas Mavericks re-sign Kyrie Irving, they will have zero cap space. A player like Brooks could come in and provide decent production and be a player with a good value contract on this team. It was reported that Brooks is looking for around $25 million per season, but he likely won't get that. Can the Mavs land him at the mid-level exception?

Con #1: Dillon Brooks is a distraction

Dillon Brooks' biggest knock is the fact that he's a distraction. People know him more for his trash-talking than his ability as a basketball player, and that's a problem.

Having Dillon Brooks in the Mavericks' locker room would not be the best idea because he brings negative baggage along with him.

He led the NBA this past season with 18 technical fouls, which resulted in two suspensions. Dallas already has a technical foul-prone player in Luka Doncic, and bringing another one in wouldn't be the best idea for Dallas.

Brooks also was a significant distraction for the team in the playoffs. As mentioned before, he made outlandish comments about LeBron James to reporters and then proceeded to lose three of their next four games. He followed up those comments by refusing to speak with the media three different times during the series.

The 6'7 wing did a whole lot of talking without backing it up. His trash-talking was so bad that the Memphis general manager Zach Kleiman said this.

" We're going to take a different approach as it pertains to [trash talk] next season...You'll see a different approach from this team, but at the same time, confidence is important."

This quote was indirect, but it seems to be directed at Brooks. Dallas doesn't need a player that is a distraction from the team's number one focus, winning.

Pro #2: Dillon Brooks brings defensive versatility

Dillon Brooks' identity is playing tough, aggressive defense. He's been known for this for the past few seasons and the spotlight on Brooks has only increased over the last few months as he takes on the task of guarding opponent's best players.

The Dallas Mavericks' biggest struggle last season was defense, and Brooks could lead the charge in them changing their defensive identity. He can guard one through three and brings unmatched intensity every time he takes the floor, regardless of who his team is playing or what the score is.

Dallas also happens to need a player with Brooks' type of intensity. Dorian Finney-Smith was that player minus the nonsense. Finney-Smith would guard the other team's best player and do everything possible to shut him down, while also being a 3-point shooting threat. Doe-Doe was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the Kyrie Irving deal, and Brooks could pick up that role, but he cannot guard power forwards like Finney-Smith did.

Brooks can effectively switch in the pick and roll, and his energy could be contagious in a good way if he is mentally locked in.

The big question though is if this energy would be positive in Dallas. Brooks could be a vocal leader defensively and defend the elite guards that the Mavericks face, but the second he starts letting his trash-talk go too far is what the Mavericks should be wary of. He sometimes lets the matchup in front of him go further than just playing tough defense.

He has been ejected six times in his career and has gotten into multiple scuffles. Dallas will be the judge on if his defensive ability is worth the headache of his technicals, ejections, and occasional dirty plays.

Con #2: Dillon Brooks' game regressed last season

Dillon Brooks posted career highs in points and assists per game last season and was playing some of his best basketball. He was shooting 16.4 shots per game and was a valuable piece in the Grizzlies' offense.

This season, most of his stats were down. His points, steals, blocks, and assists per game all dropped along with his field goal and free throw percentages.

This could all be due to his role being less in the Memphis offense as his shots per game was down, but his 3-point percentage and shot attempts per game were up. He did show minor improvement as a shooter but it's unusual that his field goal percentage went down as his volume went down. It's typically the other way around.

Dallas should not want any part in Brooks if they believe his game is going to take another step back. They need players that will help them win a championship right now, not a player that has taken a step back production-wise.

Brooks wants a larger offensive role next season and this could help his numbers go up, but Dallas may not be looking to give it to him. The Mavericks already have a dominant ball handler in Luka Doncic and their biggest priority this summer is re-signing another dominant ball handler in Kyrie Irving.

Brooks probably wouldn't have a shot at the role he wants in Dallas, and the Mavericks should be wary of the decline of his game from this season.

Verdict: Dallas Mavericks shouldn't sign Dillon Brooks

Although his ability as an on-ball defender is tempting and that's what Dallas needs, they shouldn't sign Dillon Brooks.

He's known more for his antics than he is for his defensive ability. Dallas does not need a player coming in that isn't fully locked in on winning and that brings a negative light to this team. He likely wouldn't be the best fit for the organization, and Dallas should look elsewhere for a role player to pair next to Luka Doncic.

Brooks would have the chance to be an excellent on-court fit if he buys into being a 3-and-D wing for Dallas, but that likely won't happen. He wants a larger offensive role, and that's not something Dallas will want to give to Brooks. He would likely have to go to a rebuilding team to get more shots while also signing the biggest contract.

Stay tuned to see where Brooks is going to sign and if Dallas is going to be in the mix of his pursuers. Brooks could be the missing piece to the Mavericks' defense, or he could be a guy that completely messes up the culture of the team. You won't want to miss anything this free agency as this offseason is crucial for the Dallas Mavericks as they try to make the right moves to return to the playoffs.