Dillon Brooks has earned $1 million in bonuses as part of his contract with the Phoenix Suns after helping the team reach the NBA playoffs, ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported.
This comes following the Suns’ 111-96 win against the Golden State Warriors on Friday night to punch their ticket to the playoffs, where they will face the top-seeded OKC Thunder.
According to Marks, the bonus looked unlikely earlier in the season, considering the Suns’ dreadful 2024-2025 campaign and the team’s decision to trade Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets in the offseason.
The bonus was deemed unlikely before the season because Phoenix did not reach the postseason last year.
Brooks came to the Suns last year as part of the Durant deal. Despite being seen as a throw-in asset in the trade, Brooks has emerged as a dependable two-way forward for the Suns this season.
He put up a career-high 20.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game this season as the Suns finished the regular season with the seventh-best record in the Western Conference at 45-37.
Brooks played in the playoffs last year with the Rockets, but got bounced out in the first round against the Golden State Warriors.
This year, he exacted revenge by eliminating the Warriors in the play-in tournament, booking a first-round date with the Thunder, led by his Canadian national team teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Dillon Brooks Sends Message To OKC Thunder Ahead of First-Round Series
GettyDillon Brooks sends scathing message for the OKC Thunder.
Dillon Brooks had a strong message for their first-round foes ahead of Game 1.
Talking on the Amazon Prime post-game show after the Suns’ win over the Warriors, Brooks expressed how mental toughness would be key against the Thunder, a team, he said, that fouls a lot.
“There are a lot of foul baiters on that team. We gotta show our hands. I hope it’s the real playoffs. Show your hands,” he said.
The Thunder has gained a reputation for getting more whistles than other squads, despite them ranking No. 1 in drives per game, led by reigning MVP Gilgeous-Alexander.
However, the playoffs have notoriously seen the referees allow a little bit more physicality in the game, which Brooks hopes the Suns would capitalize on to pull the upset against the defending champions.
The Suns have shown they are capable of beating the Thunder during the regular season. The two squads met five times, with the Suns winning twice against the top-seeded squad.
Nevertheless, the Thunder, which finished as the top seeds in the West for three consecutive years, remains the favorite to win the series, considering their well-rested unit. They swept their last two first-round series in the playoffs.
Suns-Thunder Series Schedule
GettyThe Phoenix Suns take on the OKC Thunder in the NBA playoffs.
Game 1 of the Suns-Thunder series will happen on Sunday, April 19. Tip-off will be at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Game 2 will then be on Wednesday, April 22, before the series shifts to Phoenix for Game 3 on Saturday, April 25, and Game 4 on Monday, April 27.
The Thunder holds the homecourt advantage in the series, a benefit they will enjoy for the rest of the playoffs after posting the best record in the league during the regular season.
Dillon Brooks Earns $1 Million After Phoenix Suns Reach the Playoffs