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Dillon Brooks will be extension eligible on the day after the NBA Finals after a career year, but there are variables Phoenix must weigh before committing to a new deal. On one hand, Brooks was an undeniable culture-changer in his maiden season as Sun, contributing mightily to the turnaround Phoenix staged after shipping out Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal and also hiring first-year coach Jordan Ott. Yet there is likewise an understanding in the desert that Brooks' 20.2 points per game featured some spotty efficiency and was fueled at least somewhat by lengthy stretches of injury unavailability for fellow Phoenix newcomer Jalen Green.
How you view their season depends on which expectations you adopt. Back in October, the basketball media-verse did not expect much from the Suns, a team that had overhauled its roster, trading star power for grit. “We were counted out,” said Dillon Brooks, who came to Phoenix along with teammate Jalen Green in last summer’s blockbuster Kevin Durant trade. “We were supposed to be a laughing-stock, losing team. And we proved a lot of people wrong.”
There will be no shortage of fans and media who connect the dots and say Alperen Sengun could follow in Jalen Green’s steps as a young piece that gets sent away because he wasn’t ready to compete for a championship now. Giannis Antetokounmpo will be a name many connect to Houston as a potential superstar who could be acquired in a Şengün trade. Kawhi Leonard or Donovan Mitchell could also be possibilities. If Houston makes Şengün available, along with some of the future draft picks they hold, it would put them squarely among the favorites to acquire any of the disgruntled superstars who may become available.
Duane Rankin: "Super fun. Super fun." Jalen Green 36 points (8-of-14 3s) in Suns win over Warriors to advance to NBA playoffs as 8th seed. On bringing energy from losing to Warriors last season in playoffs while with Rockets: "For sure. I remember what they did last year. It's not going to leave. My 1st playoff series. Lesson in every situation. It's never failure. You always get back up. I for sure brought some of that energy from last year to tonight's game."
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Duane Rankin: "Just poetic that we played Golden State to get in. Good stepping stone for our organization." Dillon Brooks after Suns win over Warriors, who eliminated him and Jalen Green when they were with the Rockets last season. On Green's 36-point night: "He struggled against Golden State in the series last year. He had a lot to prove." On talk with Steve Kerr: "He had great words to say to me. Amazing. And I'm glad it was face to face. When somebody that usually says controversial or criticizing things, to come to you after and tell you how great of a job you're doing. He's seen me in Memphis, Houston and now Phoenix. Probably seen me my whole career, to tell me that you're doing great things, you're changing cultures and you're a great player, it means a lot." #Suns #DubNation
Duane Rankin: Suns 111-96 Final. Jalen Green 36 points (8 made 3s ties career high) Up next? Oklahoma City. Game 1 Sunday at OKC. #Suns #DubNation #ThunderUp
Kelly Iko: 36 points on 14-for-20 shooting (8-for-14 from 3) for Jalen Green in just his 33rd game of the year — and the biggest one of PHX’s season. What a job by Jordan Ott.
Duane Rankin: "He had it going the whole night. I can take that shot, too to force overtime, but I saw Jrue (Holiday) sleeping a little bit and Jalen shifted to the open space." Devin Booker on finding Jalen Green for 3-point look Green missed for the win as Suns lost 114-110 in 7-8 play-in game. #Suns #RipCity.
Oh No He Didn't: Jalen Green: "Calling that same foul. They gotta call that both ways if they're going to call it for one person all night" 👀
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Justin Martinez: Jordan Ott says Jalen Green, Collin Gillespie, Mark Williams and Jordan Goodwin have all been downgraded to out tonight vs. OKC. Haywood Highsmith has been upgraded to available.
Duane Rankin: Suns at Lakers injury report: Jalen Green (knee) still listed questionable. Luke Kennard (finger) questionable. 2nd of back-to-back for Lakers. #Suns #LakeShow
Duane Rankin: Jalen Green left game with what appears to be a right leg injury. He limped to the locker room. Same leg he suffered the hamstring injury that sidelined for the majority of the season. Suns down 18-17. Green checked out with 8:10 left in 1st quarter. #Suns #MFFL
