Dillon Brooks: Heavy Minutes, Lighter Verdict

The workload. Brooks played 56 games last season at 30.4 minutes and a 27.9 percent usage rate, taking on a full scoring role at age 30 in his ninth season. The 20.2 points per game made him Phoenix's second-leading scorer behind Devin Booker.

The efficiency gap. A 43.5 percent field-goal mark and 34.4 percent on 6.6 three-point attempts produced a 54.0 true shooting percentage. His offensive rating sat at 113.7 against a 114.8 defensive rating, a net rating of minus-1.1 for a team built to score.

Limited playmaking. An assist percentage of 9.5 and 1.8 assists per game confirm Brooks is a scorer and wing defender first, not a facilitator. His 5.8 rebound percentage is modest for a forward-guard, and 1.8 turnovers per game is manageable given his touches.

Defense is the pitch. Brooks built his reputation guarding the opponent's best wing, though his box-score defensive marks last season were ordinary: 1.0 steal and 0.2 blocks a game. The case for him rests on matchups the stat line does not fully capture.

The contract climbs. Brooks earns $20.0 million this season, then $22.5 million, $24.3 million and $26.1 million through 2029-30. That places him fourth on the roster in current pay, behind Booker, Jalen Green and Miles Bridges, with his price rising each year of the deal.

Clean injury report. Brooks carries no designation on the current injury list, a contrast with Duop Reath, Mark Williams and CJ Huntley, all dealing with issues as camp continues. He heads into the preseason slate as one of the healthy names in the group.

What he needs to be. The verdict for 2026-27: Brooks already supplies the volume Phoenix needs at the wing. The outstanding question is whether the shooting and net-rating numbers climb enough to justify a contract that only grows more expensive each season.