Phoenix Suns fans embraced Dillon Brooks almost immediately last season because of the edge he brought on defense, but that early buy-in still wasn’t enough to get him recognized on Sam Vecenie’s list of the NBA’s top 25 defenders.
Vecenie and Bryce Simon recently ran through their rankings on The Game Theory Podcast, and Brooks never cracked the group. The only time his name came up was during a discussion of Lu Dort, now with the Atlanta Hawks, who landed 24th on their list.
“I think you and I (Simon) have always been a touch lower on Dort than what some people are. We really value his ability to frustrate and get under the skin of great opposing players, and this is something Dillon Brooks does as well... really good impactful defender (Brooks), another guy that was in the top 50 for me to be sure.”
That kind of omission is hard to square if you watched Phoenix closely last season. Brooks’ value was never just about numbers. He was the one willing to take the toughest assignments, including wanting to guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the playoffs, and his battles with LeBron James have become part of his reputation.
He’s toned down some of the theatrics, but the Suns still got plenty of mileage out of his bite. Sitting courtside and laughing at one of the game’s all-time greats is exactly the sort of energy this team seemed to want.
Devin Booker, meanwhile, has stayed in the more passive mold the Suns saw when Kevin Durant was in town, and that dynamic is something Phoenix needs to change if it wants to push forward. Brooks, though, is going to keep trying to carry them regardless.
The Suns liked what they saw enough to give Brooks a three-year, $73 million extension, even with the franchise owner losing money at an alarming rate.
So if a 30-year-old who fit in quickly, won over the fanbase, meshed with Booker, said all the right things about this being his team, and ended up as the best player Phoenix got for Durant still can’t land on a top-25 defenders list, what exactly is he supposed to do?
For now, Brooks looks like one of the league’s most underrated players again. And if Phoenix ends up beating expectations once more, don’t be surprised if he’s right at the center of it.
In Other News...
Suns Just Made A Quiet Move With Real Roster Consequences
Haywood Highsmiths return to the Suns is one of those low-profile moves that can still ripple through a roster. Phoenix brought him back on a one-year minimum-salary deal for the 2026/27 season, and the contract is built with the kind of fine print that teams use when every dollar matters. In a season where the Suns are clearly trying to stay disciplined on the books, Highsmith gives them a familiar wing option while adding another layer to their roster management.
The larger significance is in how Phoenix structured the deal, with the Suns working to manage their luxury tax situation by lowering Highsmiths cap charge. It is the sort of maneuver that often gets buried under bigger headlines, but it can shape what the front office is able to do elsewhere. Highsmith also had other interest, which only adds a little more weight to a signing that looks simple on the surface and far more strategic underneath. [Read more 🡒]
Suns May Have Finally Found The Fix For A Costly Problem
The Suns draft approach has changed noticeably since Toumani Camara was included in the Deandre Ayton-for-Jusuf Nurkic deal, and the organization seems to be leaning harder into finding young value before it becomes expensive. Phoenix has added and developed a wave of prospects in recent cycles, including Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming, Koa Peat and Oso Ighodaro, with a few already tracking as possible rotation pieces rather than distant projects.
For a team trying to improve both its talent evaluation and its cap situation, that matters. The Suns have spent enough time paying for mistakes and thin depth, so any hint that the front office is getting better at identifying the right young players carries real weight, especially as the roster continues to shift around them. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Get An Early Chance To Build Real Playoff Momentum
A seven-game homestand in early November gives the Suns a chance to settle in quickly once the 2026-27 season gets rolling. The newly released schedule stacks up an appealing run of home games against the Trail Blazers, Magic, Rockets, Spurs, Clippers, Hornets and Lakers, offering Phoenix an early stretch in front of its own crowd before the calendar gets any more demanding.
For a team hoping to build real playoff momentum, that kind of early runway matters. A strong start at home can help establish rhythm, ease some of the pressure that comes with a long season and give the Suns a better sense of where they stand before the schedule starts to test them in other ways. [Read more 🡒]