Mat Ishbia Defends Dillon Brooks: 'Not Going Anywhere'
Dillon Brooks, the NBA's self-proclaimed 'villain', 'agitator', and 'disruptor', has been a polarizing figure during his nine seasons in the league. But Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia is standing firm in his support for the forward, dismissing any trade speculation following a dominant performance against the league-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.
In a statement on X, Ishbia declared, 'Don't bother calling... Suns aren't interested in a trade. Dillon's not going anywhere.' This stance aligns with his earlier comments on the 'The Draymond Green Show' podcast, where he praised Brooks' competitive spirit and commitment to the team's success.
'He might agitate the other 29 teams, but for us, he’s exactly what we’re about,' Ishbia said. 'He plays as many games as he can play. He wants to compete every game and he’s going to do what he can to help us win.'
Brooks' impact on the Suns is evident in his statistics. He has played in 29 out of 35 games, averaging 21.4 points per game, only behind Devin Booker's 25.7. His fearless offensive approach has been a net positive, with 14 points in the fourth quarter and a clutch-time 3 against the Thunder on Sunday night.
A 2023 All-Defensive Second Team member, Brooks is averaging the second-most minutes per game (30.9) in his career, with 31.8 in 2024-25 with the Houston Rockets. He is outperforming his previous records, making more buckets and shooting more shots (7.9 and 17.1 per game, respectively) than ever before.
Brooks' contract, worth an average salary of $21.5 million through 2026-27, will make him an unrestricted free agent before the 2027-28 season. Despite his 12 technical fouls and two ejections, he embodies the team's identity, as described by Ishbia: a squad that grinds and 'doesn’t just cash in' when adversity strikes.
With a recent victory over Oklahoma City, Brooks will face his former team, the Rockets, on Monday at 6 p.m., continuing his journey as a pivotal player for the Suns.
