Billionaire NBA Team Owner Publicly Rejects Austin Reaves-Dillon Brooks Trade

Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia was quick to shut down the trade of Dillon Brooks on social media.

Billionaire NBA Team Owner Publicly Rejects Austin Reaves-Dillon Brooks Trade

Mat Ishbia (Image credits - Firstsportz)

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Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia is more than delighted to have Dillon Brooks in his squad. The Suns have been a surprise package this season, and even with Devin Booker within their ranks, it is Brooks who has grabbed the spotlight. While the Suns lost to the Houston Rockets 100-97 at the Toyota Center on Monday night, they have defied the odds so far.

Heading into Monday’s game, the Suns had won six of their last seven games. Despite the loss, they remained at eighth place in the Western Conference standings with a 21-15 record, while the Rockets, led by former Suns player Durant, sit at fifth with a 22-11 record. It was their third meeting of the season, with the Rockets coming out on top in all three encounters.

The Suns acquired Dillon Brooks in the Kevin Durant trade, which included seven clubs in the offseason. Following the departures of Durant and Bradley Beal, many believed that the Suns would have to hit the reset button, and their championship window had come to an end. While they are still not contenders this season, they have surprised everyone with their performances. They remain in the hunt for a top-six finish and earning a direct playoff qualification, largely due to the presence of Brooks.

Over the last few seasons, Brooks has often been labelled as a villain. The Canadian has been involved in a few heated moments this season as well, especially with LeBron James. The rivalry between the two this year has captivated basketball fans, with Brooks coming out on top on a couple of occasions.

The 29-year-old has shown significant growth this season. Known for his defensive prowess, Brooks has improved on the offensive end as well and has become one of the best two-way players in the league. He is currently averaging a career-high 21.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists.

Another player who has shown immense growth this year is Austin Reaves. The 27-year-old has been the story of the season for the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have made a strong start to the 2025-26 campaign, and it is due to the formidable duo of Luka Doncic and Reaves.

During the absence of James, it was Reaves who helped Doncic in the backcourt. While he is ruled out due to injury at the moment, his numbers have been nothing short of extraordinary as he is averaging 26.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists.

Former NBA star DeMarcus Cousins proposed a Brooks-Reaves trade on Run It Back. Ishbia was quick to dismiss any trade speculations on social media and said:

Don’t bother calling… Suns aren’t interested. Dillon’s not going anywhere.

Brooks could complement the Lakers well, as he would provide them with the defensive energy and tenacity that they are currently missing at the moment. But it appears that the Suns’ management is more than happy to keep Brooks for a long time.

Paul Pierce weighs in on the Brooks-Reaves trade

Both players are having their career-best seasons in the NBA. Reaves was a top-10 MVP contender till his injury and has been one of the best offensive players, while Brooks has turned into an elite two-way player. Brooks is the type of player who is hated when in the opposing team but loved when it is your own.

Former Boston Celtics player Paul Pierce weighed in on the trade on the No Fouls Given podcast:

If you’re saying LeBron can still give you the 23, 24 a game, now you don’t have three defensive liabilities out there. Reaves, LeBron, and Luka — all defensive liabilities. Now you eliminate one, and you got a guy who can play defense, and he can knock down shots and bring swag to your team. That’s the only way that makes sense, if you trade him for Reaves.

The trade has been ruled out, but it would be a fascinating one, not just because of what Brooks brings to the table but also because of his history with James.

Jordan Ott deserves to be a Coach of the Year candidate

While the majority of the pundits and fans expected the Suns to be a lottery team this year, they have made the critics eat their words. After a slow start to the campaign where they went 1-4 in their first five games, the Suns have gone 20-10 since and have shown they can take on the best teams in the West.

Before their loss to the Rockets, they had beaten the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, on the first night of the back-to-back. The players deserve their praises, but head coach Jordan Ott deserves his flowers as well.

Jordan Ott
Jordan Ott (Image credits – AP News)

On The Hoop’s Collective’s latest podcast, Brian Windhorst, Tim MacMahon, and Tim Bontemps all praise Ott for the work he has done. Bontemps said:

It’s not an insult to say the Suns are overachieving. The Suns are overachieving. That’s fine. They’re having an awesome season. Jordan Ott’s had a fabulous season. He should be right near the top of Coach of the Year voting at this point of the year.

They may not be championship contenders this season, but Ott has shown everyone that the Suns are heading in the right direction at the moment.

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