The Phoenix Suns face a number of questions in free agency this offseason.
Starting center and trade acquisition Mark Williams is set to become a restricted free agent. He’s already given the franchise a few reasons not to retain him, which could result in Phoenix exploring sign-and-trade options for the big man.
Breakout guard Collin Gillespie will be an unrestricted free agent with early Bird rights, and by all accounts there’s mutual interest between Gillespie and the Suns to work out a long-term deal to keep him in The Valley.
That doesn’t account for fellow free agent and Dan Majerle Hustle Award winner Jordan Goodwin, whose impact on the offensive glass created a much-needed dynamic in the Suns’ second unit. Many fans likely want to see “Goodie” back in The Valley, but there’s a good chance he could find a more favorable deal elsewhere. The veteran journeyman, after all, did put together arguably his best season in the pros with the Suns throughout 2025-26.
But lurking under the surface of this summer’s free agent conundrums is another dilemma: the long-term future of culture-setter Dillon Brooks.
Will the Phoenix Suns look to sign Dillon Brooks to an extension?
As things stand, Brooks is under contract for the 2026-27 season for roughly $21 million. Without a new deal, he’d become an unrestricted free agent after next season.
Provided Brooks averaged a career high in scoring at 20.2 points per game in his first year with the Suns — all while building a culture and tone that set the franchise on a winning path after missing the playoffs the year prior — retaining Brooks makes sense in a vacuum.
However, the veteran forward is now 30 years old. He’ll celebrate his 31st birthday in January of next season. Given his age and the money it would take to keep him around, do the Suns consider him to be a more long-term piece?
Speaking on the “Game Theory Podcast,” The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie speaking with co-host Bryce Simon broke down what a possible extension for Brooks could look like.
“So, his max number on an extension, and it does feel like there would be some traction there, his max number is four years $125 (million),” Vecenie said.
Vecenie said that given Brooks’ age, it’s unlikely that the Suns or other teams around the league would be looking to give “The Villain” a four-year extension that would run into his age 36 season.
“But like, if you extended it two years at the max number where he ends up at the end of this offseason with like three years, $80 million left on the deal, that doesn’t seem terrible to me for anybody,” Vecenie said to nodding agreement from Simon.
Vecenie goes on to note that re-signing Brooks to an extension in this range would not significantly hurt the Suns’ financial flexibility in the long-term. He notes that in the summer of 2028, even with a Brooks extension near the $30 million per year range, the Suns would still have plenty of cap space to work with.
“But I’m pretty good with extending Dillon Brooks honestly if I’m this team,” Vecenie said.
Ultimately, as with any contract, it’s going to come down to money and years. If Brooks wants to stay in The Valley for the long-term, perhaps he’d leave money on the table for added stability.
Brooks was a huge part of the Suns’ recent turnaround, just as he was being the culture-setter for the Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets before finding his way to Phoenix. As a veteran presence who plays hard, sets the tone for teammates and fits well alongside face of the franchise Devin Booker, the Suns should look to extend him beyond next season.
How far beyond, though, will be the true litmus test for what the Suns’ front office is planning down the road as even Booker starts to get up there in age and mileage.
As Vecenie notes, it’s going to be difficult for this Suns team to move forward as a competitor by simply keeping the roster intact.
In any case, the Suns have to figure out the 2026 offseason before looking down the line toward 2027 and beyond, but Brooks remains a prominent domino.
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