Dillon Brooks Told to Pass More as Suns Rework Him for 2026-27

Phoenix is asking Dillon Brooks to become a passer. GM Brian Gregory told him to work on ball movement and get back to spot-up threes this offseason, and Brooks acknowledged it during a press conference — even chuckling about the assignment. That's notable for a player who put up 20.2 points but just 1.8 assists across 56 games in 2025-26.

The number that stings: Brooks ranked 8th on the Suns in assists per game last season, and 14th per-36 and per-100 possessions. That's behind Isaiah Livers, a deep-bench forward who logged 1.8 points a night. For an offense that needs the ball humming between Booker and Green, Brooks' downhill, me-first tendencies have been a bottleneck.

The skepticism around here is fair. Brooks has never been a distributor, and asking a 29-year-old to rewire his instincts over one summer is a tall order. Passing in a drill and passing under live playoff pressure are different animals. Until it shows up in games, this reads a lot like lip service — though credit him for owning the criticism rather than sulking about it.

Maluach's Stretch Experiment

The more intriguing thread is Khaman Maluach. The rookie center shot 40% from deep in Summer League, a small sample but one that could translate more cleanly than most SL numbers. Phoenix is toying with pairing him alongside Oso at power forward — a look that would drag opposing rim protectors like Wemby or Holmgren away from the paint and open driving lanes.

There's a defensive logic too. The Suns were a dismal 29th in defensive rebounding last season, and a Maluach-Oso frontcourt adds size and rim protection while letting Oso facilitate from the five. The risk: Maluach shot just 25% from three at Duke and is still learning one position, let alone two. Overloading him early could cause the split-second hesitation that turns a good possession into a blown one.

The Fantasy Fallout

For fantasy purposes, temper expectations on both. Brooks sits at our rank #103 overall (#36 among forwards) coming off a 29 fantasy points-per-game season in 2025-26, and his last five games ran 2.8 below his season average. A passing pivot might make Phoenix better but won't juice his box score — if anything, fewer shots could shave his ceiling. Maluach (#381, #56 at position, 8.5 FPTS/G in 2025-26) is a dynasty stash whose recent form spiked +8 fantasy points over his average.

Verdict: HOLD Brooks as a mid-tier forward with a stable floor — don't chase a breakout that the role change actively works against. Maluach is a watch-list add in deeper and dynasty leagues; that shooting flash is real, but the minutes and cross-positional role need to solidify first. Track the preseason lineups closely.