Dillon Brooks Sends Clear Message About Suns' Chemistry Concerns

It's no secret that the 2026-27 iteration of the Phoenix Suns are undergoing growing pains.

The Suns are 1-2 heading into a home battle with the Denver Nuggets on 10/30, with the team's performance arguably being worse than the record would indicate.

The Nuggets aren't putting an inspiring product on the table either, so there's a possibility that this becomes a "get-right" game for the Suns. 

It isn't always that simple, however, as second-year member of the franchise in Dillon Brooks is aware of.

The Oregon product put an interesting perspective on the Suns' start following Wednesday's practice (PHNX).

"When the lights are on, it's a little different."  

These few words paint a vivid picture. For all the offseason work, preseason reps, and individual strides made, there's no guarantee that it translates in short order. 

The two biggest pressure points when it comes to chemistry concerns reside in the starting lineup.

This pressure point begins with the fit between Brooks and newcomer Miles Bridges. Behind the obvious defensive concerns that arise between the duo are the numerous rabbit holes that open on offense. Both wings sit at roughly 6'7" and own similar offensive skillsets. 

The redundancy in skill makes it more challenging for synergy to generate between the starting five. It doesn't help that neither is off to a strong start as a three-point shooter. This creates an incredibly imbalanced apparatus on the wings that wasn't present when Royce O'Neale was the regular starter. 

Part two of the early concerns reside in the uncertain fit between Devin Booker and Jalen Green. The duo possess high-end talent individually, but have yet to prove that they are consistently able to co-exist together.

Much of this has to do with both players playing unnatural roles at various points over the last two seasons. While Booker is continuously making strides as a playmaker, Green isn't yet a consistent enough scorer under pressure to justify this arrangement. The backcourt duo is also less-than-stellar defensive historically speaking, which places stress on the wing duo to perform at a higher level.

Ultimately, these chemistry concerns run two-fold within this current roster. The Suns are still searching for sanctimony on both sides of the ball, as well as a new identity. There's only so much time to figure these things out, but it's difficult to bet against head coach Jordan Ott.

The next opportunity for the team to display growth is in an NBA Cup contest, which is the perfect stage to do so.