Lakers Rumors: Dillon Brooks Met with LA in FA; Had No 'Smooth Pathway' to Contract

One of the big winners of free agency, Dillon Brooks was a hot commodity for several contenders around the Western Conference.

The new Houston Rockets' wing was reportedly also being courted by the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks, according to The Athletic's Kelly Iko. Brooks met with the Lakers and the two sides were in talks, but there was no "smooth pathway" for the deal to get done.

With their cap situation and considering the deal that Brooks got—four-years, $86 million—Los Angeles would have had to complete a sign-and-trade like the Rockets did with the Memphis Grizzlies to acquire him, per Iko.

It ended up working out for both sides as the Lakers had arguably the best free agency haul of any team in the league, improving a squad that made an incredible run to the Western Conference Finals last year.

As for Brooks, he got the big bucks and joins a young, talented Rockets squad that will rely on him to be one of the veteran leaders along with fellow free agent additions Fred VanVleet and Jeff Green

The All-Defensive Second-Team selection will be the defensive focus on a team full uber-talented offensive wings like Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr, Cam Whitmore and Amen Thompson, who will also play guard next season.

It also would have been strange to see Brooks team up with LeBron James and the Lakers given that he had his fair share of run-ins with the league's all-time leading scorer this past season.

Brooks even went as far to call James "old" during the Grizzlies second-round series against Los Angeles, which they lost in six games. The former Oregon star was accused of poking the bear and shouldered with Memphis' loss.

The $86 million that Brooks will make over his four seasons in Houston can go up to $90 million with incentives. It's a big pay day for a guy that made a little over $38 million over his first six seasons in the league, per Spotrac.

Last season he averaged 14.3 points per game to go along with 3.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 39.6 percent shooting from the field.