Could newest Suns wing Dillon Brooks 'villain' tactics work in Phoenix?

Why Brooks antics could help the Suns:

The 2024-2025 Suns were a disaster. The team finished 36-46 and missed the playoffs and play-in entirely. Phoenix had the 27th-worst defensive rating with 117.7 and lacked any sort of urgency or energy to stop opposing offenses. During last season, opponents scored 17.4 fastbreak points per game, as the the team struggled to control the pace in games.

Houston was sensational on the defensive end and most of that goes to the bravado of Brooks. The Rockets’ 110.3 defensive rating was fifth in the league. The team was stellar at maintaining the pace by limiting turnovers and points off turnovers, being top 10 in both categories. In the past four seasons, the Canadian Olympian has been on a team with a top 10 defensive rating in the league, with the Memphis Grizzlies being top 3 from 2021-2023.

Brooks has had to grind for his opportunities, being a three-year college player and 2nd-round pick in the NBA draft. The 6’6 wing got his chance with his defensive intensity but has developed an outside shot that makes him one of the premier 3-and-D players in the NBA, shooting 39.7% from the beyond the arc last season.

The Suns have gone through the emotions for the past few years and have lost its spark. The culture around the 2021 Finals run is no more, but Brooks could reignite with his passion and energy to a franchise that is in need of a turnaround.