The Phoenix Suns returned to winning ways on Saturday with a thrilling double-overtime win over the Orlando Magic, but it came at a cost.
Dillon Brooks breaking his left hand in the early goings, with the franchise once again being hit with bad injury luck at the worst time.
Grayson Allen can step in and be Suns' third best player once again
Not to worry though, as the Suns have a veteran in Grayson Allen who is more than capable of stepping into the void left by Brooks.
We've been here with the 30-year-old before, and it seemed poetic that his 27 points (despite Jalen Green grabbing the headlines with his game winning effort) led the entire team.
Grayson Allen appreciation post 🤩 pic.twitter.com/lyD4QCTJEH
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 22, 2026
In Allen's first season in The Valley, when he led the entire league in 3-point shooting at 46.1 percent, he often stepped in as the Suns' third best player in the absence of Bradley Beal.
That continued at times throughout the rest of Beal's tenure, although Allen's own season was derailed last time out by a combination of injury and Tyus Jones taking his starting spot.
We know Allen is at his best when he's playing with the starters, and that's exactly what is going to happen as he will replace Brooks with that group.
He's hardly the emotional leader capable of getting a technical at any moment, but Allen has his own way of motivating those around him.
The elite shooting helps but we've seen him put in a shift defensively as well, with the highlight being slowing Victor Wembanyama down in a win over the San Antonio Spurs earlier this season.
Obviously Phoenix would rather have Allen as their fourth or fifth offensive option each night, that is partly the reason they have been in the playoff hunt since the jump.
But he is more than capable of proving some of what Brooks brought, while we know he can co-exist next to Devin Booker for long stretches of a game.
He also helps open up the court for both Collin Gillespie and Mark Williams, and really is the perfect guy you can plug into all manner of setups.
There's a reason the Suns haven't traded him despite rumors persisting for some time now, and we're about to be shown why they were right to stick by Allen.
He can play several positions and take over from better teammates, and he is going to be the reason the Suns don't fall off a cliff in the aftermath of this Brooks news.