The Phoenix Suns are the most surprising team in the NBA this season. The improvement from Dillon Brooks, the maturation and health of Mark Williams, and Jordan Ott’s calm and confident presence have brought
winning to the Phoenix Suns that not even the most optimistic Suns fan could have hoped for.
And then there is Collin Gillespie. The former Villanova Wildcat is the surprise player in the NBA this season. He should be in the running for Sixth Man of the Year (if the Suns ever get fully healthy) and Most Improved Player awards at the end of this season.
Gillespie entered the league as an undrafted free agent and has had to fight for every minute and every dollar throughout his early career. Before this season, Gillespie signed a league minimum one-year $2,378,879 deal to stay with the Suns after playing on a two-way contract the previous season.
That will change this offseason as Gillespie is expected to receive anywhere from $10 to $15 million annually this summer as an unrestricted free agent, according to HoopsHype.
“Obviously, I love where I’m at. I love this team and the organization,” Gillespie told HoopsHype. “We’ll see what happens at the end of the year, but I just try to go out there and play my best basketball and play winning basketball to do whatever helps the team win.”
Gillespie has done exactly that this season. He helps the Suns win. He is averaging 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. The counting stats are one thing, but it is also his intangibles that he brings to the floor as well. At times, Gillespie’s play is reminiscent of a familiar Phoenix Suns point guard legend, with whom Gillespie has developed a relationship since coming to Phoenix.
He has shown that he is deserving of a much bigger contract, and he has played a vital role as the Suns’ one true point guard on the roster. Gillespie has earned the respect of everyone throughout the league this season, including his owner, Mat Ishbia. Ishbia has said multiple times, most recently on the Zach Lowe Show, that Gillespie is deserving of a big payday.
Re-signing Gillespie should be a no-brainer this offseason for Phoenix, and the organization is hopeful it can retain him this offseason, according to HoopsHype. Although the decision to resign Gillespie could become expensive. Right now, Phoenix is just above the luxury tax and is currently looking to duck below the salary cap to avoid paying a repeater tax for another year in a row. If Phoenix re-signs Gillespie and Mark Williams in free agency, they will more than likely be a tax team next season. But we can deal with those financial problems in July because the Suns are winning basketball games.
Empowered by his coach Jordan Ott, Gillespie has flourished playing a fast-paced, gritty brand of basketball. He has fit in seamlessly next to the Suns’ star players Devin Booker and Dillon “The Villain” Brooks. On the ball, he effectively creates shots for himself and others. Off the ball, he is a lethal shooter. He is ninth in the league in 3-point makes at 142 made threes this season on 43.1% shooting.
In an interview with Michael Scotto from HoopsHype, Gillespie was effusive in his praise for his head coach and the style of play that is the key to his success and the Suns’ success overall.
“I think it’s our style of play. We try to get stops on the defensive end and get out and run. We have a lot of guards who can get out and run. We’ve got good rim protection and big men that’ll run the floor, set screens, and catch lobs. We’ve got playmakers offensively. Devin Booker has a lot of gravity. Dillon Brooks has been awesome in terms of being able to be aggressive and score… Coach Ott runs a system that instills that in everybody. That’s why we love playing for him, and we go out there and compete and play hard every night,” Gillespie told HoopsHype.
While Gillespie credits Ott with the system, he is one of the main reasons the Suns play Ott’s brand of basketball. Gillespie averages 2.4 deflections per game, 1.7 steals, and he leads the team in charges taken. His defense, along with the other elite Suns defenders, is why the Suns lead the NBA in steals per game this season and are a top 10 defense in the NBA.
Offensively, Gillespie is always applying pressure on opposing teams. His pace and unselfishness allow the Suns to capitalize on opposing teams’ turnovers and mental lapses. Gillespie is always moving, and when teams lose him, it’s game over because he is a lethal shooter. At the end of games, the Suns trust him to attack mismatches, and he has proven to take and make difficult midrange shots to win games.
Whether he continues to start or comes off the bench if the Suns’ backcourt is ever fully healthy, he is still one of the most important players on this Suns team. He contributes to winning and is one of the main catalysts for revitalizing a Suns franchise devoid of optimism and joy before his breakout season. While he may never reach NBA star status, his winning attitude and competitive spirit are endearing to this fanbase.
Collin Gillespie is on the path to becoming an All-Time Suns legend and fan favorite, if he decides to stay in the valley long term.
