Dillon Brooks had a million reasons to smile Friday after vanquishing the Golden State Warriors to close out the NBA play-in tournament.
Brooks and his Phoenix Suns outlasted the Warriors 111-96 in their do-or-die clash at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz. The victory ensured that the veteran swingman pocketed an extra $1 million in salary thanks to an incentive baked into his contract.
With Phoenix reaching the playoffs, Dillon Brooks has earned a $1M bonus.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) April 18, 2026
The bonus was deemed unlikely before the season because Phoenix did not reach the postseason last year.
The fiery forward signed a 4-year, $86 million contract with the Houston Rockets in 2023 that included an annual $1 incentive every time Brooks’ team clinched a playoff berth.
After cashing in on the bonus in each of his last two seasons in Houston, Brooks seemed like he’d miss out on his third chance once he got traded to Phoenix last year as part of the Kevin Durant trade. But the Suns have been one of the surprise teams of the 2025-26 campaign, with Brooks being a big reason why.
Brooks averaged a career-high 20.2 points and 3.6 assists across 56 games for Phoenix, transforming himself from a 3-and-D wing to a potent offensive threat next to Devin Booker.
Brooks didn’t have the best showing in Friday’s win, finishing with 13 points on 4/14 shooting and 5 turnovers. But he did leave Mortgage Matchup Center a little bit richer after beating a Warriors team that despises him.
Fans were laughing back when Brooks originally signed his deal three seasons ago. He’s proven to be more than worth the money since then.
