The Phoenix Suns are in a position that most didn't think they'd be in, especially not after they traded Kevin Durant to the Rockets in June. As part of that package, they received Dillon Brooks, who, in another surprise, has played so well that the front office could sell high on him before the Feb. 5 deadline.
Brooks has only been in the desert for a few months, but that doesn't diminish the impact that he's made. He's averaging a career-high 21.4 points on 46.1% shooting from the field. Yes, he's shooting only 34.3% from three, but that is actually about average for his standards. Along with that, Brooks is averaging a career-high 1.3 steals per game.
The Suns currently have the ninth-best defense in the league, a significant improvement from last season's 27th. Brooks is a big reason for that.
Phoenix has a chance to advance to the playoffs, a scenario that once seemed impossible. The team is seventh in the West with a 21-14 record, a game and a half back from Minnesota in sixth. There is a world in which the Suns make it to the postseason without going through the play-in tournament.
So, why would they want to trade Brooks?
Well, if there is a team out there willing to pay up for the soon-to-be 30-year-old, it's a route that the front office should consider. Phoenix gutted most of its assets in the 2023 Durant trade and additional picks in the Bradley Beal trade, so it'd be nice to start to continue to replenish its stash.
Would the Suns be willing to trade Dillon Brooks before the deadline?
Dan Favale of Bleacher Report listed Brooks as a potential trade target for the Lakers as they continue their search for another wing. NBA insider Marc Stein has reported several times that Los Angeles is searching the market for a two-way wing.
On Sunday, Stein noted that one of the issues with doing so is that the market for 3-and-D wings is limited (subscription required). Brooks isn't a three-point shooter, but he would give the Lakers the defensive boost they need. The question of whether Phoenix would trade Brooks to LA, of all places, is certainly worth wondering.
To be clear, Phoenix hasn't made Brooks available, and perhaps that won't happen over the next month. At this point, it's just speculation. It's a compliment to Brooks and the Suns that he's been mentioned as a player that opposing teams could be interested in.
There isn't a fan out there who wants to see Brooks depart so soon, especially not with the team's current positioning, but if an ideal offer materializes, the front office could cash in.