Dillon Brooks to earn $872,000 on top of $22.3M salary for one reason

Dillon Brooks has played a key role in the Houston Rockets’ resurgence into playoff contention, bringing veteran leadership, shooting, and defense to the young squad. With Houston securing its first postseason berth since the 2019-20 season, the wing is set to cash in on a lucrative bonus.

According to ESPN salary cap expert Bobby Marks, Brooks has a $1 million playoff bonus in his contract. However, with his looming one-game suspension for picking up his 16th technical foul against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, that amount will be reduced to $872,000.

Under NBA rules, accumulating 16 technical fouls results in an automatic one-game suspension, which Brooks is expected to serve on Friday against the league-leading OKC Thunder.

Dillon Brooks is in the second year of his fully guaranteed four-year, $86 million contract with the Rockets, earning $22.3 million this season.

He has been a solid contributor, averaging 14.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists across 73 games while shooting 39.4% from 3-point range.

Stephen A. Smith, Ime Udoka defend Dillon Brooks over technical fouls

Last week, during Houston’s dominant 148-109 victory over the Phoenix Suns, Brooks found himself in a shoving match with Kevin Durant. The scuffle led to Brooks being assessed two technical fouls — his 14th and 15th of the season — resulting in an automatic ejection.

On Saturday, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith argued that Brooks did not deserve to be tossed from the game.

"He did nothing that warranted an ejection from this game," Smith said. "We all love the league and we all support the league, but this is the kind of stuff that hurts the league right here."

"Dillon Brooks had no business (being) ejected. You can't be talking about the love of the game and how much we should love and support the game, and you go rob the fans of a game. It doesn't matter that he's not LeBron (James) or Steph Curry. He can play, and he is a contributor to that team.”

On Wednesday, after Dillon Brooks received his 16th technical foul for a kick to Collin Sexton’s groin area, which triggers an automatic one-game suspension, Rockets coach Ime Udoka also defended him, saying the punishment was unjust.

“I don't think it was an intentional kick,” he said (per Ben DuBose).

Friday’s game against the Thunder marks Houston’s second-to-last home game of the regular season.

Following that, the Rockets embark on a tough three-game road trip against the Golden State Warriors, LA Clippers and LA Lakers, all of whom are fighting for playoff positioning.

Houston will then return home to close out the season against the Denver Nuggets, in what could be a crucial game for the final standings.