The Nuggets made a savvy, under-the-radar move a few years ago, signing undrafted rookie Collin Gillespie to a two-way deal after the 2022 draft. Despite his smaller frame and lack of measurable athleticism, Gillespie was an outstanding player at Villanova, helping the Wildcats win a National Championship and earning back-to-back Big East Player of the Year awards.
He quickly made his mark in summer league, but most of his 2022-23 season was lost to an injury. Still, he got a championship ring with the Nuggets and hit the ground running for the 2023-24 season.
He didn’t break out as a star or anything, but Gillespie had some nice moments in Denver whenever he was called up to the big club. There was clearly something there, but he never really got a chance to showcase his talents. The Nuggets gave up on him, and he signed a two-way deal with the Suns ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Gillespie battled for minutes last year on a disastrous Suns team and did enough to catch the attention of the higher-ups. Phoenix signed him to a standard minimum contract in the summer, and so far this season, he has been a huge part of their rotation.
Gillespie would be perfect fit for Nuggets’ bench
Two-way players come and go, with most of them amounting to nothing. But still, the Nuggets have let several players go in past years without truly seeing what they could have been. Now, Gillespie is playing 25 minutes a night for the Suns, giving them 10.4 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game.
He is quickly proving to be a steady hand, running their second unit capably and efficiently with pesky defense on the other end. At 26 years old, Gillespie looks like a picture-perfect NBA backup point guard, exactly what the Nuggets could use.
So far, Denver has gotten by with Jamal Murray playing very well and some Bruce Brown and Peyton Watson running offense off the bench, but they had to start Jalen Pickett when Murray rested on Saturday. If there’s one thing this team is lacking, it’s a true backup point guard to run the second unit and start when Murray is out.
The Nuggets had that in their building with Gillespie, but didn’t recognize his talent, and now he’s filling that role across the conference for the Suns.