MACAU, CHINA \u2013 Dillon Brooks
\nisn\u2019t known for backing down. But when he was traded to the Phoenix
\nSuns this summer, the veteran forward didn\u2019t waste time trying to
\nfind his footing \u2013 he went straight to the source.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been easy,\u201d Brooks
\ntold BasketballNews.com during the NBA China Games in Macau. \u201cMy first
\ncall when I got traded was to (Book), trying to get acquainted.
\nIt\u2019s better for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
The trade that brought Brooks to
\nPhoenix was part of one of the offseason\u2019s biggest shakeups. The
\nSuns sent Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets, acquiring Brooks,
\nJalen Green, and draft capital in return. For a team that missed
\nthe 2025 Play-In Tournament and entered the summer with more
\nquestions than answers, the move signaled a shift toward youth,
\ndefense, and a reset in culture.<\/p>\n
Brooks, 29, arrives with a
\nreputation that precedes him \u2013 a fiery competitor, a relentless
\ndefender, and a player unafraid to toe the line between confidence
\nand chaos. But for all the noise that often surrounds him, Brooks\u2019
\narrival in Phoenix feels different. He\u2019s not being asked to be the
\nagitator. He\u2019s being asked to be a tone-setter alongside one of the
\nleague\u2019s most consistent stars in Devin Booker.<\/p>\n
And from the sound of it, the
\ntwo have already formed a connection.<\/p>\n
After stints in Memphis and
\nHouston, Brooks lands in Phoenix at an interesting time. The Suns
\nhave transitioned from championship contention to identity
\nbuilding. Gone are Durant and Bradley Beal, replaced by a roster
\nbuilt around Booker, Green, and Brooks \u2013 a trio that blends
\nscoring, youth, and toughness.<\/p>\n
In Houston, Brooks averaged 14.0
\npoints, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists last season while shooting a
\ncareer-high 39.7% from deep. But what Phoenix values most is his
\nedge \u2013 the defensive intensity and accountability that helped
\nstabilize a young Rockets team under Ime Udoka.<\/p>\n
For the Suns, who ranked in the
\nbottom third of the league defensively last season, Brooks\u2019 arrival
\nrepresents more than just numbers. It\u2019s about attitude.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s exactly what Booker has
\nbeen asking for. As the longest-tenured Sun, Booker has become both
\nthe voice and heartbeat of the organization. Having a player like
\nBrooks beside him \u2013 one who\u2019s both vocal and battle-tested \u2013 could
\ngive Phoenix the emotional jolt it\u2019s been missing.<\/p>\n
Book and Brooks: A new chapter in the valley and
\nbuilding chemistry<\/p>\n
Brooks\u2019 comment about calling
\nBooker first may seem small, but it speaks volumes about intent as
\nthis is the first time they\u2019ll share an NBA locker room. \u201cHe\u2019s been
\nlike a big brother to me, taking me under his wing,\u201d Brooks shared.
\n(We\u2019re) always talking every single day, (and it\u2019s good) being able
\nto play beside him and not being able to guard him,\u201d Brooks said in
\njest.<\/p>\n
Booker, now entering his tenth
\nseason, has quietly evolved into the kind of leader who balances
\naccountability with mentorship. For Brooks, that relationship could
\nhelp smooth his transition and reshape his image from \u201cvillain\u201d to
\nveteran leader.<\/p>\n
Their synergy will be key for
\nPhoenix, especially as head coach Jordan Ott experiments with
\ndefensive combinations and lineups around his new core. Brooks\u2019
\nability to guard the opposing team\u2019s best wing should free Booker
\nto focus more on offense \u2013 a shift that could benefit both players
\nand the team overall.<\/p>\n
Phoenix enters the 2025-26
\nseason with measured expectations but renewed energy. With Booker
\nleading the way, Green bringing athleticism and upside, and Brooks
\ninfusing defensive bite, the Suns have the makings of a team that
\ncan compete nightly \u2013 even without a superstar trio.<\/p>\n
For Brooks, the goal is simple:
\nembrace the city, connect with his teammates, and prove that his
\nfire can fuel winning.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s already made one thing
\nclear \u2013 he\u2019s found comfort in the Valley.<\/p>\n
\u201cGetting acquainted with Phoenix
\nis easy \u2013 love the city, love the fans, and I can\u2019t wait for the
\nseason.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"MACAU, CHINA \u2013 Dillon Brooks isn\u2019t known for backing down. But when he was traded to the Phoenix…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":212365,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[557],"tags":[64,63,590,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-212364","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-nba","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=212364"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212364\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/212365"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=212364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=212364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=212364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}