Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks was arrested early Friday morning in Scottsdale on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to TMZ Sports. TMZ reported Brooks was stopped after traffic violations, arrested following an investigation, and released a little over two hours later.
The Suns acknowledged the situation in a brief statement, saying they were aware of it and were gathering more information, but offered no further comment.
The arrest comes while Brooks is already sidelined with a fractured hand suffered on Feb. 21, an injury that had been expected to keep him out for several weeks. Before going down, Brooks was in the midst of one of the strongest offensive seasons of his career, averaging just over 20 points per game for Phoenix.
For now, the basketball implications are secondary to the legal process. What is clear is that Brooks, one of the Suns’ most visible and volatile personalities, is now facing an off-court issue at a point in the season when Phoenix can least afford more instability.
