The Suns rewarded his steady rise with a one-year, fully guaranteed contract. He returns to a team that lost Tyus Jones, Monte Morris, and Bradley Beal, opening the door for an opportunity to lead the second unit. Gillespie showcased he has what it takes to stick in an NBA rotation a year ago, especially with his strong finish to the season. Suns fans should be looking forward to his progress entering his third year in the association. This may be the first year he enters the season with expectations, even if minimal.<\/p>\n
Last season with the Suns, Gillespie transitioned from a two-way flyer to a legitimate rotation piece. In 33 games (nine starts), he averaged 5.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 14.0 minutes, while dialing in an efficient 43.3% clip from deep.<\/p>\n
More notably, he capped the season on a high note over his final nine Suns games: 11.0 PPG on 44.9% three-point shooting, plus 4.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.7 steals in 23.7 minutes per game.<\/p>\n
Once his confidence (and playing time) grew, it was clear that he belonged in the NBA. He may never be a high-level starter, but at the very least, it\u2019s easy to envision him as an impactful backup point guard for years to come. You see success stories of high-IQ, undersized point guards thriving in the league today, in the likes of T.J. McConnell and Payton Pritchard. Can Gillespie be the next success story?<\/p>\n
It would be remiss not to mention \u201cThe Collin Gillespie Game\u201d against the Clippers last March.<\/p>\n
Gillespie was a crucial, unlikely hero in a historic fourth-quarter comeback, scoring 10 points with a game-high +21 plus-minus rating to help ignite the team\u2019s rally after trailing by as many as 23 points against the Clippers. He drilled a go-ahead three-pointer with 36 seconds left to give the Suns their largest fourth-quarter deficit overcome in franchise history. This was one of the few enjoyable, exciting games to watch last season.<\/p>\n
Not to be ignored: Gillespie dominated down in the G League too, posting nearly a triple-double for the Valley Suns. The Villanova product averaged 21.2 PPG, 10.6 APG, and 7.5 RPG in 10 games for Phoenix\u2019s G League affiliate in Tempe.<\/p>\n
Photo by Kate Frese\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n Gillespie signed a 1-year, $2,378,870 contract with the Phoenix Suns, including $2,378,870 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $2,378,870. In 2025-26, Gillespie will earn a base salary of $2,378,870, while carrying a cap hit of $2,296,274 and a dead cap value of $2,296,274.<\/p>\n One thing you know you will get every night from Collin Gillespie is grit and effort. He applies full-court pressure, tracks the lead ballhandlers, and brings energy every minute he\u2019s out there.<\/p>\n He has poise as a creator as well. Gillespie doesn\u2019t force it and finds cutters while keeping the offense moving. He is a steady force that doesn\u2019t seem to ever be in a rush, which is vital for lead guards in the NBA.<\/p>\n Gillespie certainly knows his role when he\u2019s on the court. He is comfortable as the low-usage guard next to high-usage stars, but can also slow things down and get the team into sets.<\/p>\n His weaknesses are somewhat out of his control, as he is undersized and not the most explosive athlete. Teams will target him on the defensive end of the court and challenge his ability to guard bigger guards and wings on switches.<\/p>\n The offensive juice is also somewhat limited, but he has shown he can accelerate and finish over bigger defenders off the dribble when needed. We need to see more of that to keep the defense honest.<\/p>\n Ultimately, his role is easy to envision, and it\u2019s not much different than the end of last season. Just in a higher volume role with a bit more responsibility.<\/p>\n The defense is what everyone will point to on the surface, but I disagree. Point guards are typically always going to be a liability on that end. He just needs to compete and show effort on that end of the floor, which I\u2019m not worried about. If he can sustain the three-point shooting at a higher volume and take care of the ball, he\u2019ll earn significant minutes.<\/p>\n This is the first time in his young career where he\u2019s on a team that feels like \u201chome,\u201d and yes, that matters.<\/p>\n![\"2024-25](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/2181368693.jpg\"\/)
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