Mat Ishbia’s promise to Suns’ Dillon Brooks amid trade rumors

Bad news for other NBA teams… Dillon Brooks is likely staying with the Phoenix Suns. But when did his name get thrown into the mix for trade rumors? It took place on Monday, and Suns owner Mat Ishbia said Brooks isn’t going anywhere.

He shut down the rumor from the moment it took place. During Wednesday’s shootaround before taking on the Memphis Grizzlies, Brooks echoed Ishbia’s sentiment.

“He’s been saying I’m going to be a longtime Phoenix Sun,” Brooks said via AZCentral’s Duane Rankin. The forward also added that it was nice for Ishbia to keep those situations in-house.

That’s a step considering what took place around this time last season. Kevin Durant was in the midst of nearly being traded to the Golden State Warriors. He quickly shut that down and it sparked an interesting dialogue for the remainder of the season.

Fast forward to 2025-26, and Brooks has cemented himself as a mainstay in the Valley of the Sun.

Mat Ishbia loves Dillon Brooks changing the Suns’ culture

The statistics and career-highs pop out, but it is Brooks’s impact as a culture guy that gets the attention it should. Every team he has been on has been beneficiaries on the defensive end.

Much of his game is about the mindset. He might not have the talent like other guys, but Brooks’s work ethic is second-to-none, and has been emphasized by his teammates.

In turn, he expects his teammates to give the same level of effort, if not more than him. Almost halfway through the season, the Suns are six games above .500, and much of it has to do with Brooks.

He’s bringing the juice and competitiveness out of this group. Even with someone like Devin Booker on the team, Brooks’s impact might make him an untouchable piece through the remaining weeks of the trade deadline.

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