For five minutes, there might have been a lingering fear that Dillon Brooks is spiraling after his injury. The run-ins with the law seemed to reinforce that conspiracy theory. Then Brooks comes back on March 31, playing like he never left, picking up another technical, and all about basketball. The notorious on-court trash-talker held his tongue for almost a month. Now he officially addressed his March 6 arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence.

Speaking to reporters following a shoot around on April 2, Brooks acknowledged the gravity of the situation. However, his primary objective is to help Phoenix secure its standing in a volatile Western Conference.

“Yeah, I’m just focused on basketball,” Brooks stated. “Don’t want any distractions now. We’re making a playoff run, and that’s what I’m focused on.”

Concerns for his mental and physical health mounted after the incident when the Suns lost the home game to the Chicago Bulls. Around 1 am, Scottsdale cops pulled him over for swerving. In the bodycam footage released later, Brooks, who was recovering from surgery on his fractured left hand, was released from custody approximately two hours later.

The 30-year-old reportedly took immediate accountability within the organization. He apologized to his teammates and coaching staff later that same day. It was a swift move to refocus not just himself, but his teammates, too.

“(Expletive) happens, but we’re here to talk about basketball,” the forward added. In typical Dillon Brooks’ cool manner, he showed a hint of gratitude to his teammates who have remained supportive throughout the ordeal. “They got my back.”

Devin Booker, Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, Jordan Ott, and more have only expressed excitement and anticipation of Brooks rejoining the lineup. Perhaps this incident was the movie-style plot device that united the underdog team under Dillon the Villain.

The Phoenix Suns are taking a cautious approach with Dillon Brooks

The 27-day gap between his arrest and these public comments coincides with the final stages of his recovery from a fractured left hand suffered in late February. The offseason acquisition of Brooks in the trade that sent Kevin Durant to Houston was a blessing to Phoenix. There was no adjustment period. The Suns thrived instantly under Brooks’ aggressive style, both in offense and verbally.

His suspension for getting a record 16 techs and his fractured hand were Phoenix’s nightmares. A potential DUI arrest could’ve worsened the situation. However, that was resolved quickly, and rehabbing his injury was the next big step in getting him back.

Brooks made his long-awaited return to the court on March 31 against the Orlando Magic, a comeback that provided a significant emotional lift for a Suns team currently battling to stay in the Play-In Tournament.

“Felt good,” Brooks said of his return. “A lot of excitement. Can’t wait to get back into my rhythm. I just got to fit in. I got to pick my spots where I go, where I drive, make plays for teammates and myself, and get my wind back.”

There’s still a little concern, as Brooks has been wearing a bandage on his hand while playing. While he assured reporters that the hand “feels fine,” he said that the protective wrap is a necessity for the next two weeks to protect him from re-aggravating the injury. He admitted that it limited his shooting, but he’s going to “Just keep working at it,” and “I’ll be able to in the long run make tough shots and be able to handle the ball a lot better.”

Before this injury, Brooks was averaging career highs and was on the verge of a breakout season. He’s already back to his usual antics, playing almost 40 minutes and picking up a 17th tech. One more, and he will serve another suspension. But the Suns aren’t going to hold him back, as Devin Booker put it, “Definitely on brand.”