MEMPHIS, Tenn. — If Ja Morant returns to the court Wednesday as expected, his Grizzlies teammate Dillon Brooks will probably miss it.

If you’re wondering why, it’s because Brooks wanted to let Dallas Mavericks reserve Theo Pinson know “he’s a cheerleader.”

“I grew up watching him play. He’s a great basketball player, and now he’s paid to cheerlead,” Brooks deadpanned, wearing a cardigan with no shirt underneath, dark slacks and dark sunglasses in the Grizzlies’ locker room after Monday’s 112-108 win.

The actual reason Brooks will likely miss the Grizzlies’ game Wednesday against Houston is that he almost surely will be suspended. He was slapped with a technical, his 18th this season, after he dunked over the Mavericks’ Maxi Kleber in the third quarter, then continuously gestured toward Pinson on the bench that he was, in fact, a cheerleader.

It’s an automatic one-game suspension unless the NBA reviews the infraction and rescinds the tech.

“This one might be a hard one to get back,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins opined.

“At this point, I don’t think we even try anymore,” Brooks said.

March 3 will forever be remembered as a fateful day in Grizzlies history — the last game before Morant’s suspension for wielding a gun in public while intoxicated and the day of Brandon Clarke’s Achilles tear — and Brooks earning his 16th technical of the season in Denver is among the reasons. Starting with No. 16, players are suspended for every other tech and fined $5,000 per infraction.

“It’s just paper,” Brooks said.

On Wednesday, assuming Brooks’ suspension materializes as expected, he will be suspended for the second time in 16 days after picking up his third technical in 17 days. He was also fined $35,000 for shoving a kneeling cameraman in Miami last week, and Monday he stepped on Kyrie Irving’s foot in the fourth quarter, which landed Irving in a walking boot.

Irving decided that one was an accident.

The good news for Brooks and the Grizzlies is the NBA resets the technicals count for the playoffs, and the automatic suspensions don’t start rolling again until a player reaches seven.

“I’ve got to tone it down and get back to my mindfulness practice and find ways to channel it better,” Brooks said.

But when it comes to Brooks, the fiery, 27-year-old Canadian, there isn’t such a thing as toning it down. Playing with an overabundance of emotion and intensity is part of who Brooks is, and on occasion it leads down the path of doing dumb and/or dangerous things. He hurt Gary Payton II in the playoffs last season and tackled Donovan Mitchell this season.

Privately, Grizzlies coaches say Brooks is as studious in the film room as any player, and Jenkins lauded Brooks on Monday night for the additional shooting work he has undertaken in recent weeks. When it comes to the extracurriculars, though, the ones that get Brooks in trouble, the Grizzlies find themselves wishing he could reel it in and also understanding it’s part of the Brooks experience.

The coaching staff talks to Brooks about, you know, not doing some of the stuff he does, but if Memphis had to pick between the passionate, blazing-eyed Brooks who defends like a banshee or a subdued version, it would pick the former.

“He’s one of those guys you love if you’re on their team, and I’m sure every player on the other team hates him,” Desmond Bane said. “But you know, Dillon is in his sixth year now. It’s important that, you know, when you get close to being suspended, you’ve got to be a little smarter, put the team first. But Dillon’s a team-first guy.”

“He’s definitely the best wing defender in our league right now,” said Jaren Jackson Jr., who might win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award this season. “I think he shows it all the time. And then his intensity — he’s gonna get the other player off his game. But he’s gonna stay on his game while he’s doing that.”

Jackson refused to criticize Brooks in any way, calling the NBA’s threshold for technicals “weird.”

“I just don’t feel like this is an example of him having to reel it in,” Jackson said. “I think you should just keep playing your game. But I mean, it’s a weird rule. I haven’t been in a position where I’ve gotten to that point. So I wouldn’t know of any advice on how to do that. But I mean, if anybody knows how to deal with it, it’s him. I don’t think he’s gonna have any problem.”

Brooks is aware of his reputation. He said the media gave him the “villain role,” and he’s taking it in stride. He spent time during Monday’s win jawing with Irving (before he stepped on his foot). Irving could be heard telling Brooks his defense was a “gimmick.” After the game, Irving gave Brooks his game jersey, but when Brooks tried to hand Irving his Grizzlies jersey, Irving didn’t accept it.

“Yeah, I saw that after the game (on social media). I’ll probably get it next time,” Irving said. “I was really onto the next thing — my thought process was.”

If there is a list of modern NBA bad boys, Brooks and Irving would be on it, for various reasons. Brooks, without a hint of irony, called himself a “fan” of Irving.

“For everything he stands for,” Brooks said. “For the way he uses his platform, his basketball game. When you’re growing up, you want to aspire to be able to do what he does. He’s just like Kobe, just like Jordan and those guys.”

On that last part, Brooks was referring to Irving’s considerable offensive skills, which Brooks said he hopes to acquire during his career.

But that will have to wait, at least a little while. Brooks is headed for a day off Wednesday.

“See you guys Friday,” Brooks said to the reporters gathered around his locker.

(Photo: Brandon Dill / Associated Press)