Dillon Brooks didn’t wait long to show exactly how he sees things in Phoenix.
“Thanks Matt for cleaning up that stench in the locker room before I came #culture”
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 18, 2026
-Dillon Brooks 👀
(via Dillonbrooks24 /IG) https://t.co/EFQFVtIj9v pic.twitter.com/oyjhV4p9lZ
The Suns forward took a direct shot at former franchise centerpiece Kevin Durant while publicly thanking majority owner Matt Ishbia for what Brooks framed as a long-overdue cleanup of the locker room. He made the statement on an Instagram story, pairing an image of himself in a Suns jersey with 50 Cent’s “Back Down.” The caption was blunt:
“Thanks Matt for cleaning up that stench in the locker room before I came #culture.”
The post landed in the middle of a fresh back-and-forth involving Ishbia and Durant, who is now with the Houston Rockets. Ishbia had recently spoken on CNBC Sport about Phoenix’s previous approach to building the roster, saying:
“I kind of just threw money at the problem,” Ishbia admitted.
He also said that bringing in stars like Durant doesn’t guarantee a title. Durant pushed back on social media after those remarks, and Brooks’ post only added more fuel to that conversation.
With the Suns and Rockets possibly on a collision course this season, the dynamic now has another sharp edge to it. Phoenix has made no secret of its emphasis on identity, accountability and depth, and Brooks’ brand of swagger fits that message neatly.
On the court, Brooks has also given Phoenix something tangible to feel good about. He opened the preseason by scoring 24 points in 23 minutes against the Chicago Bulls, then added 15 in the Suns’ 102-98 win over the San Antonio Spurs. After sitting out the next road exhibition with the rest of the rested starters, he returned for the preseason finale against the Utah Jazz and put up 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting in 23 minutes.
That mix of scoring, perimeter production and defensive bite is exactly why the Suns can lean on him as they head toward their opener against Portland.
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