Dillon Brooks has spent the first three preseason games making a pretty unusual argument for Phoenix: he’s looked like the Suns’ best player. That’s not just a fun early-October curiosity. It lands differently when you remember how last season finished and when you remember that Brooks was also the team’s standout in the playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Suns still belong to Devin Booker, of course. He remains the franchise cornerstone, even if he sat out while Phoenix earned its first preseason win over the San Antonio Spurs. But the longer Brooks keeps outplaying him - and the longer that trend stretches back into last season - the more it points to a problem Booker has to solve.
The best outcome for Phoenix is pretty clear. Brooks keeps thriving in the co-star role he has already outgrown, and Booker climbs back into top-10-player territory.
That’s when the Suns start looking like the version of themselves they actually want to be. Because when Brooks is the most reliable guy on the floor, it usually means Booker isn’t giving them what he’s capable of delivering.
That tension has been easy to spot in these tune-up games. Booker’s 3-point shot has disappeared, while Brooks has looked fully in rhythm, even getting into it with John Collins. Booker said at media day that he wanted to shoot the ball more, which was a welcome admission from a player who has spent too much time in the past trying to set up everyone else.
Brooks, though, keeps doing what he always does. He brings the edge.
He brings the energy. He does it on both ends, against anybody, in preseason or otherwise.
It doesn’t matter to him whether the label says best player, second option, or anything else. He’s going to give Phoenix about 20 points a night, irritate opponents, and take on the tougher defensive assignments.
What nobody saw coming was this long stretch where Brooks would not just be important, but more important to winning than Booker.
That matters because Brooks’ value is higher than it has ever been, and he signed a team-friendly extension over the summer. Right now, he looks like the Suns’ most valuable piece, and he has the kind of game that can drag them through gritty wins against better teams.
Still, the bigger question hangs over everything. If Booker doesn’t catch up and eventually move back ahead of Brooks inside the organization, Phoenix is staring at the same kind of ceiling again: at best, another first-round playoff exit.
In Other News...
Suns Good Vibes Will Face A Much Bigger Test Soon
The Celtics Joe Mazzulla recently put a sharp point on what every NBA team eventually faces: the season is as much about handling rough patches as it is about celebrating the smooth ones. For the Suns, that message lands at a useful moment. The group has enjoyed good vibes early, and Jordan Otts defense has given the roster a sturdy identity, but the real test usually comes when the schedule tightens, the losses pile up a little, and the room has to stay together.
Phoenix has enough depth to help absorb some of that pressure, with two-way players like Pat Spencer part of the mix, but the bigger question is how the key pieces hold up if the path gets bumpier. Miles Bridges, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams all carry their own importance to the rotation, which is why the Suns ability to stay connected through any roster strain could matter as much as any single game in the standings. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Suddenly Have A Miles Bridges Question Before Opening Night
A preseason ankle scare has put a small pause on what has otherwise been a straightforward ramp-up for Miles Bridges. The Suns said Bridges is recovering well after missing the previous game with a rolled ankle, and they will be careful with his workload in the remaining exhibitions as they try to get him to Opening Night in good shape.
Bridges arrives in Phoenix after being acquired from the Hornets this offseason, and he is expected to fill a key power forward role alongside Dillon Brooks. With the Suns already planning to manage their starters closely before the regular season begins, his status is worth watching less for what it says about October and more for how much live action he gets between now and then. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Need Luke Kennard To Survive One Familiar Test
Luke Kennards fit with the Suns is already looking like one of the more interesting subplots of camp, and not just because of his shot. Phoenix has asked him to let it fly more from deep this season, and he gave a small reminder of why in a recent preseason game, when he knocked down four of 10 from beyond the arc. For a team that wants more spacing around its core pieces, that kind of green light matters, especially when the Suns are trying to build a rotation that can survive the grind of a long season.
The bigger question is whether Kennard can hold up on the other end while doing it. Phoenix has put together a defensive lineup meant to help cover for some of the concerns that have followed him in the past, and the Suns are planning to lean on him as a real contributor if injuries force them deeper into the bench. There is also room for him to grow as a secondary playmaker, which would make his minutes even more valuable, but for now this remains a familiar test: can the Suns get enough shooting from Kennard without losing too much anywhere else? [Read more 🡒]