MarShon Brooks Says ‘It’s A Business On Both Sides’ After His Trade To The Suns Fell Through

Friday night was a weird one for Memphis Grizzlies guard MarShon Brooks. One of the oddest trade sagas in recent memory occurred involving the Grizzlies as the team that was going to facilitate a trade that sent Trevor Ariza from Phoenix to Washington, but things fell through because of a miscommunication, one which occurred because no one was sure if MarShon or Dillon Brooks was heading to the Suns.

It was completely bizarre, and for the players at the center of things, it had to be surreal, even though the trade eventually got done without Memphis. That is especially true for MarShon Brooks, because the trade fell apart because Phoenix had no interest in trading for him.

The Grizzlies played hosts to the Houston Rockets on Saturday night, and before the trade, Brooks had some pointed remarks about how trades work in the NBA, saying that he understands why superstars will sometimes take control of their own destinies.

“I’m not frustrated with the situation, it is what it is, it’s a business,” Brooks said. “I understand that, we all understand that. I will say this though, when guys like a Jimmy Butler or Kevin Durant go to different teams and want to play where they want to play, you see why. It’s a business on both sides.”

Good on Brooks for having this sort of perspective, although it might not be a huge surprise, as his hoops career has taken him to the NBA, G League, and overseas before ending up in Memphis last season. Plus Grizzlies fans have an appreciation for the veteran guard, as evidenced by their reaction when he checked into Saturday’s game.

Beyond the fact that he’s appreciated by the team’s fans, Brooks has to be happy with his current situation on the whole — the Grizzlies are 16-12 and in the playoff hunt in the West, while the Suns are the worst team in the league at 5-24.