Dillon Brooks Got Fined $25,000 For Not Talking To The Media After Losses To The Lakers

After the Memphis Grizzlies were sent home after getting throttled by the Lakers in Game 6 of their first round series, one of the series’ main characters chose (for the second time) to not speak to the media.

Dillon Brooks quickly left the arena and walked to the team hotel, skipping out on postgame media responsibilities for the second time — he likewise chose not to speak after a loss in Game 4. Given Brooks had been so eager early in the series to try and get under LeBron James‘ skin, calling him old after Game 2, it was quite notable when Brooks declined requests to speak after the losses — Ja Morant likewise didn’t speak after Game 4, but did after the series ending loss in Game 6.

On Sunday, Brooks’ early exit from the locker room before taking questions from reporters earned him a $25,000 fine from the league for not taking part in postgame press responsibilities.

The loss will lead to some soul-searching in Memphis, as well as some likely changes to the roster where many expect Brooks to have played his final game in a Grizzlies uniform. The team seems to have grown out of needing Brooks’ brash attitude and over-confidence, and where he ends up next will be fascinating given his reputation has now tipped over from being a helpful defender and antagonizer to being considered a net negative when factoring in his shooting woes and refusal to accept a smaller role. Brooks has some serious work to do to change that perception of himself, and it seems likely he’ll have to do so somewhere other than Memphis.