Dillon Brooks, Lakers Trade Buzz Dismissed by Suns Gov. Ishbia Ahead of NBA Deadline
Having won six of their last seven games to move into seventh place in the Western Conference, Phoenix Suns governor Mat Ishbia has no interest in breaking up his core roster prior to the trade deadline.
After former All-Star DeMarcus Cousins said on FanDuel TV's Run It Back that the Lakers should make a deal for Dillon Brooks, Ishbia responded to the clip on X by saying emphatically the Suns "aren't interested" in dealing the veteran forward.
As much as it would be to see Brooks playing on the same team with LeBron James given their history, it makes absolutely no sense for the Suns to even think about this deal if it were something actually proposed to them.
For starters, putting Austin Reaves on Phoenix's roster is redundant because he plays the same position as Devin Booker.
Collin Gillespie, who has emerged as the Suns' starting point guard, is having a breakout season with 13.8 points on 42.1 percent three-point shooting and 5.1 assists per game in 35 appearances.
Reaves is also in line for a huge raise this summer if he opts out of his current deal. He has proven himself to be an excellent offensive player, but his defensive limitations really hinder his value in a postseason setting.
Just from a roster construction standpoint, the fit for Phoenix is not there. This doesn't even factor in how important Brooks has been to the Suns not only returning to respectability this season, but flirting with a potential postseason spot.
Brooks, who was acquired in July from the Houston Rockets as part of the Kevin Durant trade, is averaging a career-high 21.4 points on 46.1 percent shooting and 1.3 steals per game in 29 starts. He's also a high-level defensive player who is frequently tasked with guarding the opposing team's best player.
The Suns have Brooks under contract through next season on a descending deal that will pay him just under $20 million in 2026-27. He is only 29—his 30th birthday is on Jan. 22—so his age lines up very closely with Devin Booker (29) as two key foundation pieces for Phoenix to build around.
First-year head coach Jordan Ott has the Suns off to a 21-14 start thanks largely to a defense that ranks ninth in rating. They are only 1.5 games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves for the sixth seed in the West.
The Lakers are also doing fine, especially when they have a healthy Reaves playing with James and Luka Dončić. They are third in the Western Conference with a 22-11 record, with their success driven primarily by the seventh-best offense in the NBA.
