Player Preview: Dillon Brooks can have a better season by scoring fewer points

Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.

Guard-Forward, 6’7″, 225lb, 30 years old, 9-year veteran

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The Phoenix Suns struck gold last season when they acquired Dillon Brooks in the Kevin Durant trade. He was and still is the tone setter and culture driver for the entire organization. Not only was he the culture driver, but he was unquestionably the Suns’ second-best player and had a career year.

Brooks earned a contract extension this offseason because of his value on and off the floor, and many people took notice of what he did last year. He was recognized as the 76th best player in the NBA according to ESPN’s Top 100 Player Rankings ahead of this upcoming season.

But that was last season, and while Brooks played his best basketball then, his game still has flaws. He is a shoot-first, shoot-second, and probably shoot-third player, with a very low assist rate. With the addition of Miles Bridges this offseason, and Jalen Green’s strong scoring finish last season, the roles behind Devin Booker are up for grabs. How well will Brooks mesh with the other starters, and can he keep pace with the close-to-All-Star version of himself he was last season?

Last Season

GP

MIN

PPG

RPG

APG

STL

FG%

3PT%

FT%

OFFRTG

DEFRTG

+/- (TOTAL)

56

30.4

20.2

3.6

1.8

1.0

43.5%

34.4%

84.2%

113.7

114.8

-49

In the 2025-26 season, Brooks took a major step forward in production and usage from his time in Houston. His 20.2 points on 17.1 field goal attempts per game were both career highs. His best season before was in the 2021-22 season with the Memphis Grizzlies when he averaged 18.4 points on 16.4 field goal attempts, but that was in just 32 games played. Last season, Brooks shot 34.4% from three but a career-high 49.2% from inside the arc.

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While Brooks was not the most efficient scorer last season, part of it was that he was asked to do more than ever before in his career.  He was relied on to be an isolation scorer and was often the one taking the desperation…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/player-preview-dillon-brooks-better-190000096.html

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Publish date : 2026-09-26 19:00:00

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