Pacific Notes: Brooks, LeBron, Suns, Acuff, Kings, Clippers

Suns owner Mat Ishbia has spoken publicly about his fondness for Dillon Brooks, who will be eligible this summer for an extension worth up to a projected $125.4MM over four years, writes Gerald Bourguet of Sports360AZ. While Bourguet doesn’t expect Brooks to command that much money, he does think it’ll be a priority for Phoenix to sign the Canadian forward to a long-term deal.

Bourguet weighs the pros and cons of Brooks’ first season with the Suns, observing that the 30-year-old was a consistently valuable tone-setter and leader in the locker room even though his on-court contributions were a little uneven. Brooks has never been an efficient offensive player even though he’s certainly not shy about getting shots up, but he also brought toughness and an excellent work ethic to Phoenix.

Ultimately, Bourguet thinks Brooks could land a three-year extension in the range of $70-75MM or a four-year deal worth $90-100MM. As Bourguet observes, that potential contract might not look great on the back end as Brooks moves into his mid-30s, but the team values the ninth-year wing beyond what he brings on the court.

“Leadership and toughness doesn’t age,” one source told Bourguet.

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

• He acknowledges the odds of it happening are probably “very slim to none,” but Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (subscriber link) lists five reasons the Suns would be an intriguing landing spot for LeBron James. The 41-year-old could be a primary play-maker in Phoenix rather than the secondary or tertiary ball-handler he was asked to be with the Lakers this season, Rankin writes, and James is familiar with Devin Booker (teammates at the 2024 Olympics), head coach Jordan Ott, a former Lakers assistant, and Jordan Goodwin, who finished 2024/25 with the Lakers. It only takes an hour to fly from Los Angeles to Phoenix, Rankin notes, and Tuscon — where James’ younger son Bryce attends the University of Arizona — is about a two-hour drive from Phoenix.
• The Kings are said to be “enamored” with Arkansas guard Darius Acuff, but should they actually draft the standout freshman if he’s still on the board at No. 7? Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee considers that question, writing that while Acuff showed star potential on offense, his college tape on the other end left a lot to be desired. Still, Anderson hears there are “high-ranking” executives in Sacramento who aren’t worried about Acuff’s defense. If the Kings are confident Acuff can hold up defensively, they should select him if he’s available, Anderson concludes.
• The Aspiration investigation continues to cast a cloud over the Clippers‘ offseason, according to Yossi Gozlan of Third Apron (Substack Link), who previews what moves the Clips might make this summer. L.A. could operate with room or over the cap, Gozlan writes, with the latter scenario seeming more likely. Either way, the Clippers will have a good deal of financial flexibility to pursue roster upgrades. In case you missed it, our Luke Adams also previewed the Clippers’ offseason in a Front Office article.