It's a new era for the Phoenix Suns, and there's a lot about this team we don't know yet. But if there's one thing that seems relatively certain, it's that there's going to be a significant amount of opportunity for plenty of players on the roster, and that now includes Dillon Brooks.
Brooks has long been known for being a defensive stalwart, and his contributions to the Suns on that side of the basketball are going to be significant. With that being said, there's not only going to be a lot of minutes for him to play, but he'll likely end up taking on a larger role offensively as well.
This is something that Brooks has likely been desiring for quite some time. Between his 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, Dillon took over 14 shots per game in each of those years but hasn't found the same shot opportunities since. He's been held under 14.0 shots attempted mark in the last three seasons straight.
Now, he will likely get a chance to operate in a much greater offensive role in Phoenix. With Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal now out of the picture, there will be greater chance for a bunch of talents on this roster to shine.
Dillon Brooks could become a more reliable scorer in Phoenix
Jalen Green is of course a prime candidate to take on the secondary scoring responsibilities behind Devin Booker. Green's likely going to learn a lot and develop considerably playing under a talent the likes of Booker. But then after that, is it that crazy to say Brooks could become the third scoring option?
Veteran presence matters on a team that's suddenly been depleted of its top options. And I think the biggest concern from Suns fans when it comes to Brooks is probably going to be his shot selection. I get why some wouldn't want to see Dillon taking 15+ shots per night, because we can all agree the shots he takes can be a bit questionable sometimes.
But in a year like this one for the Suns, I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing to have Brooks delve back into being a top scoring option like he was for years in Memphis. Phoenix is not likely to make the playoffs, so what's the harm in letting Dillon go out there and seeing how much he can improve his offensive game?
The best-case scenario is that Brooks really refines his scoring chops and becomes a more reliable guy on offense. The worst-case scenario is just that he takes away a few more shots from Jalen Green. At the end of the day, I think it's worth giving it a shot.