If you thought Dillon Brooks would become a reliable 20-point per night scoring option for the Phoenix Suns this year, raise your hand.
Liars! All of you!
Brooks has been one of the most fascinating stories in the league this year, becoming the Suns' No. 2 scoring option behind Devin Booker, some nights even acting as the go-to guy. He'll take up that role full-time with Booker sidelined for at least a week (phew), which should give us some more clarity on everyone's biggest Dillon Brooks question; Just how good is he? Can Brooks really maintain this scoring volume and good-enough efficiency all year?
It will also give us more clarity on how Collin Gillespie, Grayson Allen, even Jamaree Bouyea look with bigger responsibilities. An injury to your star player isn't how you want to learn the ceiling of your promising role players, but that's the state of the league, I suppose.
Now, I don't expect Brooks to turn into Anthony Edwards as his role increases, but I didn't expect him to turn into a guy who can take over games with his offensive creation, either, and that's already happened through the first month-plus of the season. So who knows — maybe he keeps this offense afloat in the short time Booker is out.
With Jalen Green still out as well, Brooks is now the focal point of the offense. That's a role he's never played because no one has ever thought he could play it. In past years, he probably couldn't — but Valley Villain is a different beast. Now it doesn't seem so crazy to suggest, especially after Tuesday's game against Los Angeles, which Booker left and Brooks promptly took over, finishing with 33 points.
Can the Suns' impressive role players stay afloat as injuries pile up?
Jalen Green was expected to be the second option behind Booker, but he's missed most of the season. Grayson Allen has been splendid when he's played, but different ailments have kept him out, too.
Head coach Jordan Ott has taken these injuries in stride, making the requisite adjustments necessary to keep the Suns competitive (and more) each night.
But a Booker injury is obviously different than any other. Even with Book struggling (for his standards) he's the basis of everything the Suns do; Brooks, Allen, and the rest of the crew have been so good, in large part, because defenses have been selling out to stop Booker and leaving them with great looks and easy baskets.
Dillon Brooks' scoring has surpassed the prediction that even his most ardent supporters would have made before the season. What does he have in store now that he's the guy in Phoenix? Wonders beyond our comprehension, probably.