Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks was arrested early Friday morning in Scottsdale, Arizona, on suspicion of driving under the influence, as reported by local police. The arrest occurred during a traffic stop that took place around 1 a.m. Officers conducted an investigation which led to Brooks being taken into custody. He was subsequently booked and released from jail approximately two and a half hours later, around 3:30 a.m.

Brooks, who is 30 years old and hails from Mississauga, Ontario, has not participated in any games since February 21 due to a fractured left hand. The injury required surgery, and he is projected to be sidelined at least until late March. This injury comes during a season where Brooks had been experiencing an exceptional performance, averaging a career-high 20.9 points per game before the injury occurred.

Prior to his arrest, the Suns played a close home game against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night, where they narrowly lost with a score of 105-103. This recent event adds to the challenges faced by the Suns, especially with the absence of Brooks due to his injury. He was acquired by the Suns in the offseason as part of a significant trade that sent 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets.

In light of the arrest, the Suns organization issued a brief statement acknowledging the situation involving Brooks. They indicated that they are in the process of gathering more information but refrained from providing any further comments at this time.

The news of Brooks' arrest was initially broken by TMZ, marking the latest incident involving player conduct within the NBA. As the Suns navigate through the remainder of the season, the organization will likely be carefully assessing Brooks’ situation alongside his return from injury, as they aim to maintain competitive performance amid off-court concerns.