The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to every big-name wing on the trade market, and Dillon Brooks’ name keeps popping up. On paper, it looks like a good fit, but Paul Pierce is not convinced he is the right fit for the purple and gold.
Paul Pierce questions the Dillon Brooks fit
On the No Fouls Given Podcast, Pierce did not hold back his thoughts on the matter: “If the Lakers were to make this move, if I’m the new ownership, I would re-evaluate my front office because this is not a great fit.”
He added that “Rui Hachimura is a bigger player, which you need more size to guard. I love Dillon Brooks, what he brings… but they need to get more athletic and younger. He doesn’t fit with what they’re trying to do…this is not a move that’s going to get you over the hump.”
Brooks is having the best season of his career, and the numbers have been awe-inspiring so far. In 29 games for the Phoenix Suns, he has been averaging 21.4 points, 1.3 steals, and shooting 46.1 percent from the field in just 31 minutes of action per night.
Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale even listed him as one of the Lakers’ top trade targets, alongside Herb Jones and Robert Williams III. On paper, he looks like the kind of two-way wing that could help, but Pierce’s warning makes it clear that fit matters just as much as the stats.
There is also the LeBron James factor to consider heavily. Brooks and James have had a long-running feud, stretching back to Brooks’ days with the Memphis Grizzlies and continuing through the Houston Rockets and now the Phoenix Suns.
The two of them have even clashed multiple times this season alone. Bringing in Brooks could add tension in a locker room that already needs stability more than drama.
The Lakers are 22-11, good for third in a stacked Western Conference, but the record hides a concerning trend. Every loss has been by double digits, including heavy defeats to the Detroit Pistons and Rockets.
On Christmas Day, the Lakers got blown out by 23 points. On Dec. 30 against the Pistons, they lost by a whopping 22 points. That is a clear sign that the team’s defensive issues are real and that adding another scorer without the right fit will not automatically solve their problems.
Paul Pierce’s take might be harsh, but it is grounded in reality. Brooks has talent, but he is not the needle-mover the Lakers need to contend for a championship this season. For a team chasing a title, chemistry, balance, and positional fit outweigh flashy stats.