The return of Dillon Brooks highlights the true cost of the Kevin Durant trade

When is it Houston Rockets traded for Kevin Durantmost of the discussion centered on moves on from former No. 2 pick Jalen Green. But as the Phoenix Suns return to Houston for the first time since that deal, it’s clear that the bigger loss for Houston wasn’t Green: It was Dillon Brooks.

Brooks is averaging 22.3 points per game this season, nearly 10 more than his two-year average in Houston.

“Thanks to Jordan Ott for showing me how to play with the ball in my hands. He trusts me to play,” Brooks explained before Friday’s game.

But Houston doesn’t lack a goal. They have a lot of attacks, because they can boast of the league at the moment second best offensive rating. And as good as Brooks was, you’d still rather have Durant, especially in the playoffs.

But where Houston felt Brooks’ absence was on the defensive end, which has regressed this year without him. Under the Udoka name, the Rockets built their identity on defense, culminating in the fourth best defensive rating during last year’s 52-win season.

Brooks embodied the tough, physical, defensive culture that Udoka instilled as he helped lead the franchise from 22 wins to championship contention in less than three years.

“I think we have the same minds,” Brooks said of Udoka. “We both pride ourselves on defense. A no-bs mentality. And I think we’ve instilled that on both sides – both the coaching staff and the players. I got along with Im; he’s one of my good friends, and I can’t wait to go against him.”

Brooks admitted that Houston wanted him to step in as the leader of a young roster.

“Yeah. They knew I did it for Memphis, so they wanted the same thing. To bring young guys up in the right direction and I feel like I did a good job,” he explained.

“It was putting in the little things … the defensive coverage, the discipline and the sacrifices you have to make, you just see things,” Brooks added.

In addition to his leadership and defense, Brooks also brought a bulldog nature to a roster that seems to be lacking without him. Part of that change is natural, as the Rockets went from being a bad underdog to one of the favorites in the Western Conference. But Brooks’ willingness to mix it up with the opposition added an attitude and presence that no one else on the current roster replicates.

In fact, when these two teams faced off in Phoenix last week, Brooks even got into it with Udok. When asked about the intrusion, Brooks said he’ll have “another one today if he doesn’t look away.”

That edge is hard to replace. The Rockets have more than filled the voids Green left behind. But what Brooks brought—leadership, defense and unapologetic toughness—remains unmatched. And after helping turn Houston around, he’s now doing the same in his first season with the Suns.

When asked what reaction he expects from Rockets fans tonight, Brooks didn’t blink: “Whatever. I just expect a reaction when we win at the end of the game.”