If there’s one thing this Nuggets roster could still use, it’s a stable backup point guard. And unfortunately, it looks like they had the perfect player on the roster and let him go, as they’re now watching Collin Gillespie drive winning for the Suns.
Gillespie came to the Nuggets as an undrafted free agent after a great college career, but suffered an injury that ruined his rookie season. He broke through a bit in his sophomore season in Denver, playing his way out of the G-League and onto the Nuggets.
But the team let him go, and he signed a two-way contract elsewhere. Now, he has latched on with Phoenix, the Suns gave him a full-time contract, and he has emerged as an important and reliable player for a team that is one of the best surprise stories in the NBA.
The Suns have jumped out to an 11-7 start, and they’ve gone 8-2 in their last ten games. Gillespie has played in all 18 games, averaging over 25 minutes a night, and putting up 11.6 points, 4.9 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.
He’s also shooting 41% from three-point range and has become a go-to option in crunch time, hitting a game-winning shot the other night to knock off the Timberwolves.
Suns and Gillespie off to great start to the season
The Suns were not expected to be a playoff team after trading away Kevin Durant and dumping Bradley Beal in the offseason, but they’ve been a huge success thus far. Jordan Ott has done a great job coaching the team, and they’ve compiled two-way players who all seem to have something to prove.
The group has come together and put forth an incredible effort, far exceeding any expectations. New additions like Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams have made a major impact, but other players in bigger roles have stepped up as well like Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neal, and others have stepped up as well.
We’ll see if the Suns are able to sustain this level of play all season, and nobody is thinking they’re going to contend for the title. But it’s impressive how they’ve turned around the culture so quickly and become a reputable organization, and Gillespie is a big part of that.
The shame in all of this is that Gillespie would be a perfect fit on the current Nuggets squad. He’d be the sure-handed backup point guard that could be the missing puzzle piece that the team desperately needs.