In a season where the Phoenix Suns have surpassed all preseason expectations, forward Dillon Brooks has proven to be a major piece to the puzzle.
His vital role in the team’s surprising jump from the draft lottery to playoff contention since joining the team last summer has led to ESPN NBA reporter Zach Kram including the Suns’ trade for Brooks on his ranking of the 10 best deals since the 2025 NBA offseason.
Brooks was one of nine assets Phoenix received in the historic seven-team deal that sent Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. In his first year on a Suns team that ESPN’s Kevin Pelton gave a 34.7 projected win total, the nine-year veteran forward is setting several career-highs with 20.9 points per game on 44% shooting and an 85.6% mark from the free throw line.
Paired alongside 2026 All-Star Devin Booker, Brooks’ role in the Suns reaching a record of 32-23 and firmly entering the Western Conference playoff picture heading into the All-Star break is enough for Kram to put his acquisition at the No. 6 spot.
It seemed like Brooks was included in the Rockets’ trade for Kevin Durant primarily for salary-matching purposes. But the veteran wing has had a much greater impact in Phoenix, where’s he spearheaded the Suns’ turnaround from lottery team in 2024-25 to playoff hopeful in 2025-26.
This move makes the “best” list not only because of Brooks’ play on the court — he’s averaging a career-high 20.9 PPG — but because of his off-court influence on the Suns’ culture.
However, any chance for the move to climb up the list further was dampened when Brooks fractured his left hand on Feb. 21 and hasn’t returned since.
Since then, the Suns have lost eight of their last 15 games, including a five-game losing streak that they just broke out of on Sunday in a 120-98 win over the Toronto Raptors.
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That’s not to mention that Brooks is facing two misdemeanors after being cited for reckless driving and exceeding the speed limit on Jan. 12.
He was also arrested on March 6 for suspicion of driving under the influence.
The reevaluation period for Brooks’ injury is set to begin on Tuesday, meaning that an update on his status is imminent.
Phoenix currently sits as the conference’s seventh seed at 40-32 with 10 games left on the schedule. The return of a fully healthy Brooks at a similar pace of play either at the tail end of the regular season or at the start of the postseason means that there’s a chance for him to prove that his acquisition has been more fruitful than a sixth-best ranking.
Brooks hasn’t played since Feb. 21 due to a broken hand, though his projected four-to-six-week absence means he could return in time for the postseason. The Suns need a healthy Brooks to make any noise in the playoffs, as he ranks second on the team in points and minutes.
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