PHOENIX, AZ — Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks was charged Monday with driving under the influence, months after he was arrested in Scottsdale, according to court records obtained by ESPN.
The charge stems from a March 6 stop in which police suspected Brooks of DUI. Body camera footage later obtained by TMZ showed an officer saying Brooks’ car smelled like marijuana during the traffic stop.
Brooks, 30, is facing a Class 1 misdemeanor in the case and is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 28. The new filing adds another legal issue to a season in which the veteran wing was already dealing with injuries and a separate traffic matter.
March arrest followed a home loss and a broken hand
Police arrested Brooks early on March 6, hours after a Suns home loss. He did not play in that game because of a broken hand, which kept him out at a time when Phoenix was already navigating a difficult stretch.
The traffic stop drew attention after TMZ published body camera video that included the officer’s comment about the smell of marijuana coming from Brooks’ vehicle. Court records later tied the arrest to the DUI case now moving through the courts.
The March incident is the one that led to the current misdemeanor charge. Prosecutors and court records have not publicly added any other details about the stop beyond what has already been made available.
Another misdemeanor traffic case is already pending
Brooks is also facing a separate misdemeanor case involving reckless driving and speeding. That matter comes from a January incident and remains unresolved, with his next court date set for Nov. 9.
The two cases mean Brooks is dealing with more than one traffic-related proceeding at the same time. The October arraignment in the DUI case and the November hearing in the separate matter will put both issues back before the court within weeks of each other.
For the Suns, the pending cases add off-court questions around a player they have invested in heavily. Court records show both matters remain active as the team heads toward a new season.
Phoenix has leaned on Brooks since the blockbuster trade
Brooks joined Phoenix before last season in the trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. The move made Brooks one of the central pieces in a major roster overhaul for the Suns.
On the floor, he delivered one of the best scoring seasons of his career. Brooks averaged 20.2 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in Phoenix and shot better than 43% from the field, a mark exceeded only by his rookie season.
His season was shortened, though, by the fractured left hand he suffered in February. He was limited to 56 games, leaving Phoenix without him for a sizable portion of the schedule.
The Suns committed three years and $73 million in August
Despite the legal matters and the injury history, Brooks and the Suns agreed in August to a three-year, $73 million extension. The deal ensured that he would remain in Phoenix well beyond the final year of his previous contract.
Brooks had originally signed a four-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies before landing with the Suns. The extension marked a significant commitment from Phoenix to a player expected to remain part of the core for years to come.
That investment raises the stakes around the court cases now facing him. The organization has already locked in long-term financial terms, and Brooks remains under contract as the team prepares for the next season.
Suns say they have already addressed the matter with Brooks
Stacey Mitch, the Suns’ senior vice president of communications, said in a statement through ESPN that the team had already dealt with the situation internally.
“This charge stems from the incident last March,” Mitch said. “We have addressed the matter with Dillon and have no further comment.”
The Suns open the 2026-27 season against the Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 21 after being swept in the first round of the playoffs last season. Brooks’ arraignment comes before that opener, adding another layer of attention around the team as camp and the new season approach.
