MEMPHIS – Perhaps it’s a product of his newfound perspective and never-take-anything-for-granted mindset after spending four years away from the NBA.
But certainty is the last thing MarShon Brooks feels right now.
“Of course, I’m excited … but I don’t know man,” Brooks said as Thursday’s deadline approached for the expiration of his 10-day contract with the Grizzlies. “The NBA is tricky man, and I’ve been through a lot. So I’ve just tried to go out there mentally and physically, and stay sharp.”
For now, Brooks won’t have to worry about the next stop on his NBA journey. All indications are that it will be an extended layover in Memphis through at least the end of the season. Brooks and the Grizzlies are believed to be working on a deal that would keep the 29-year-old shooting guard in Memphis for at least the remainder of the season when his 10-day contract expires after Thursday’s practice.
The framework of a deal to sign Brooks for the final four games would likely include an option to bring him back for next season as the team looks to shore up veteran backcourt depth and return to the playoffs. The Grizzlies (21-57) have the second-worst record in the league after Wednesday’s 123-95 loss to the Pelicans, and will miss the postseason for the first time in eight years.
But Brooks has clearly been a bright spot at the tail end of a bleak season. His historic run continued in New Orleans, where Brooks made five three-pointers and finished with a team-high 25 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals in 36 minutes off the bench. His 70 total points against New Orleans, Utah and Portland are the most ever by a Grizzlies player through his first three games.
Simply put: The Grizzlies aren’t looking to let that level of production slip away.
I think something else he did was a great job of moving the ball. They (Pelicans) decided they were going to put two guys on him … and he was able to find guys and make those (passing) plays.
— J.B. Bickerstaff
“MarShon, again, showed that he can put the ball in the basket,” Grizzlies interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of Brooks, who is averaging 23.3 points on 57.1-percent shooting overall and 64.7-percent on threes with Memphis. “I think something else he did was a great job of moving the ball. They (Pelicans) decided they were going to put two guys on him … and he was able to find guys and make those (passing) plays.”
Brooks’ latest performance came after he missed Sunday’s game with a sprained ankle. He was eager to return and make the most of his limited time under contract. Sticking around would allow Brooks to maintain a needed scoring option entering the final weekend homestand against Sacramento on Friday and Detroit on Sunday before the season wraps on the road next week in Minnesota and Oklahoma City.
Memphis has provided Brooks his first taste of NBA action since the 2011 first-round draft pick bounced out of the league after stints with four teams in his first three seasons. Brooks spent the past three years in China, where he averaged 36.6 points this season before he signed with the Grizzlies in late March.
The Grizzlies lack veteran depth at shooting guard, and Brooks, ideally, could be an insurance option if the team is unable to re-sign Tyreke Evans in free agency. Evans, the Grizzlies’ leading scorer this season, has been away from the team the past two weeks to deal with a family matter.
Meanwhile, Brooks wants to remain in the moment and not look too far ahead.
“I don’t even want to think like that,” Brook said when asked about maintaining his impact moving forward. “We’ll see. I just want to play within the game and make shots when they come my way.”
FORWARD PROGRESS
The Grizzlies experienced both encouraging and discouraging developments back in New Orleans.
Rookie forward/center Ivan Rabb continued to take incremental steps toward showing he could be a key member of the rotation as the Grizzlies evaluate for next season. Rabb, the 35th overall pick in the second round last June, has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the extended playing time given to the team’s younger prospects in recent weeks.
Playing for stretches Wednesday against All-NBA forward Anthony Davis and Nikola Mirotic, the 6-10 Rabb finished with a career-high 16 points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes. These are valuable lessons for Rabb, who also snagged a career-high 13 rebounds the previous game against Portland.
Me having that confidence and that presence on the court is helping us get better. Defense is the big thing, and I’m just trying to be in the right spots, understand who I’m guarding and try not to make mistakes. I definitely gained a lot of experience going up against (Davis), one of the best bigs in the league.
— Ivan Rabb
“I’m just playing hard whenever I get out there,” Rabb said. “Me having that confidence and that presence on the court is helping us get better. Defense is the big thing, and I’m just trying to be in the right spots, understand who I’m guarding and try not to make mistakes. I definitely gained a lot of experience going up against (Davis), one of the best bigs in the league.”
Despite the losses piling up, Rabb said he’s still playing with a purpose down the stretch.
“I grew up my whole life wanting to play in the NBA, so whenever I get a chance to step out there, I’m giving it my all,” Rabb said. “I can’t speak for everybody, but I think everyone is giving effort. We have to continue to build and understand we’re playing for next year while trying to still get better now.”
While one forward gained some valuable lessons, another one was lost in the final stages of Wednesday’s game when Jarell Martin suffered a sprained ankle and did not return. Martin told Grind City Media after the game that a Pelicans player landed on his foot as Martin defended in transition.
An X-ray taken after the game was negative, but Martin was scheduled for an MRI on Thursday in Memphis to determine the extent of the injury. That leaves Martin unlikely to play against the Kings on Friday, with the Grizzlies now down to just nine healthy/available players.
KEEP AN EYE ON …
Zach Randolph. However, there’s a chance one of the most beloved players in the history of the Grizzlies’ franchise won’t be around to face his former team this time.
Randolph has missed the Kings’ past seven games for personal reasons and was not with the team for the first two stops of a four-game trip that continues Friday in Memphis. Randolph signed a two-year, $24 million deal in free agency last summer with Sacramento after spending the previous eight years with the Grizzlies. He was a key member of the ‘Core Four’ alongside Mike Conley, Tony Allen and Marc Gasol that led Memphis to seven straight playoff appearances and the 2013 Western Conference Finals.
Randolph has averaged 14.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in 59 games this season, although he has struggled in two matchups with Memphis. His average of four points on 33.3-percent shooting against the Grizzlies represents Randolph’s lowest output against any team he’s faced this season.
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