A key piece of the Kevin Durant trade to Houston, Dillon Brooks has significantly elevated a Phoenix Suns team that desperately needed new life. He is currently having the most productive season of his career; however, the most important part is how he is elevating the play of his teammates. Despite Phoenix recently losing Devin Booker to injury, Brooks has continued leading the team to victories.
In the 2023 offseason, the Grizzlies made the decision to not bring back Dillon Brooks "under any circumstances." Brooks had struggled significantly on offense in the playoffs two seasons in a row and continued to trash-talk LeBron James in the Grizzlies' 2023 first-round matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers.
While there was some logic to the Grizzlies moving on from Dillon Brooks and wanting a fresh start, it is evident that the Grizzlies still haven't adequately replaced Brooks' tenacity.
Brooks just had the best performance of his career
Currently the 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Detroit Pistons had won 9 of their last 12 games heading into last night's matchup with the Phoenix Suns. Without Devin Booker and Jalen Green, the Suns were facing an uphill battle even at home. However, Dillon Brooks had different plans for the night as he led the Suns to a 114-96 victory, improving the team to 29-19.
Dillon Brooks' previous career high in points was when he dropped 37 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on December 19, 2021, when he was still on the Grizzlies. With Booker and Green out, Brooks was going to have ample opportunities to shoot the ball, and he more than capitalized.
In 33 minutes, Brooks scored 40 points but reached his career-high mark when he was sitting at 38 points before the start of the fourth quarter. It was a well-balanced scoring effort for Brooks as he shot 13 of 22 from the field and also made four threes. Most impressively, Brooks managed to go 10 of 12 from the free throw line against a Detroit defense well known for their physicality.
His impact on the Suns this year has not gone unnoticed
Starting with their appearance in the 2021 NBA Finals, the Phoenix Suns had a run of four straight playoff berths. However, in the 2024/25 season, the Suns went 36-46 and ended up missing the Play-In Tournament completely.
The Suns ended up firing Mike Budenholzer after just one season and eventually traded Kevin Durant to the Rockets. As a part of a 7-team deal, the Suns ended up receiving Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and draft capital. Alongside first-year head coach Jordan Ott, Dillon Brooks has been a key catalyst for the Suns exceeding preseason expectations.
The defensive transformation for the Suns has been evident. Following last night's win, the Suns now have a 111.9 defensive rating, the fifth best in the league. Last year, they finished an abysmal 27th-best in defensive rating.
The Suns also have the 11th-best net rating in the league and have proven that they are a formidable team in a tough Western Conference. Just like his time in Houston and Memphis, Brooks is helping bring defensive toughness to another team.
While it remains to be seen how Phoenix performs in the near future, the Suns are heading in the right direction. For a struggling Grizzlies team, bringing in the right guys this offseason can help shift the culture in Memphis again, similar to Dillon Brooks in Phoenix.