The Phoenix Suns have had a point guard issue since they traded Chris Paul during the 2023 offseason to acquire Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards.
Maybe Collin Gillespie is the answer – or can at least help fix the problem.
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The Suns have agreed to a one-year deal for the 2025-26 season with Gillespie, league sources confirmed Monday, June 30, to the Arizona Republic. Gillespie turned 26 years old June 25.
The 6-1 guard out of UConn played significant minutes late in the 2024-25 season as a two-way player for the Suns. He possesses similar qualities to T.J. McConnell, who was instrumental in the Indiana Pacers reaching the NBA Finals this past season.
The Suns also have landed EuroLeague champion and Final Four MVP Nigel Hayes-Davis, league sources confirmed with The Republic. The 6-8 forward had a brief NBA stint, playing a total of nine games for three teams in 2017-18, but has become a star overseas.
Gillespie averaged a career-high 5.9 points and 2.4 assists in his 33 games, shooting 43% overall and 43.3% from 3 in his first year in Phoenix. He raised those numbers in his nine starts – 9.6 points on 47% shooting (47.5% on 3s) and 4.1 assists.
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Gillespie posted career highs in points (22), assists (10) and rebounds (five) in 26 minutes of a March 28 loss at Minnesota. This was with Kevin Durant and Booker on the floor with him, as Gillespie only missed two shots from the field on 11 attempts, going 4-of-5 from distance.
He not only showed the ability to make 3s, but Gillespie also created his own shot and scored off the dribble. Out of 158 shot attempts, 88 were from 3 (made 39). His second-highest number of shot attempts came less than eight feet from the basket at 41 (made 18).
Gillespie was a liability at times, largely due to his size. He has low assist totals, but Gillespie only committed 17 turnovers in 461 minutes played.
Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) is defended by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (11) during the fourth quarter at PHX Arena in Phoenix, on April 9, 2025.
A backup point guard who can start is what Gillespie can be for the Suns.
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McConnell has the same role in Indiana.
He’s a backup to All-NBA point guard Tyrese Haliburton, but the 6-1 veteran showed in the last two postseasons the ability to lead the offense and impact the game.
McConnell averaged a career-high 11.8 points and 5.1 assists in the 2024 playoffs as Indiana reached the Eastern Conference finals. This postseason, McConnell averaged 9.5 points, four assists and wasn’t a liability from 3 as he was a year earlier.
Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) grabs a loose ball from Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) during the third quarter at PHX Arena in Phoenix on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
McConnell shot 42.1% from distance, a big improvement from hitting a career-playoff low 26.9% of his 3s in 2024.
Beyond that, McConnell played with such competitiveness and fearlessness, he was just as much the talk of the playoffs as NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Haliburton.
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Gillespie possesses the same qualities.
The Suns could very well have their future starting point guard, but they aren’t looking to rebuild, either. The idea of Paul possibly returning to Phoenix feeds that narrative.
NBA insider Chris Haynes reported Monday, June 30, that the Los Angeles Clippers and Suns are “options” for Paul, who wants to play closer to his family in Los Angeles.
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) talks with guard Chris Paul (3) before the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena in Denver on March 24, 2022.
Paul started all 82 games for San Antonio to become one of only three players to appear in 82 games at age 39, with John Stockton and Michael Jordan the other two.
Paul, who turned 40 in May, averaged 8.8 points and 7.4 assists in 2024-25.
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The Suns have more than their share of perimeter talent, starting with Booker, who essentially became the point guard last season and averaged a career-high 7.1 assists.
They acquired shooting guard Jalen Green and wing Dillon Brooks in the Durant trade, which becomes official on Sunday. The Suns then landed wing Koby Brea out of Kentucky in the second round of the 2025 draft.
Phoenix still has Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and Beal under contract. Beal seems the most likely of the three that the Suns could attempt to move or buyout, as he has a no-trade clause.
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) reacts with Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum in Memphis on Feb. 25, 2025.
The Suns attempted to share the ball-handling duties among Booker, Durant and Beal and seemingly everyone else in 2023-24. That didn’t work well enough, as Phoenix finished 25th in the league in turnovers that season at 14.9 a game.
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The Suns were nearly as bad in the playoffs, committing 14.3 in getting swept in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves that season.
Phoenix thought it addressed that problem with signing Tyus Jones, one of the NBA’s best ever at the assist-to-turnover ratio. That didn’t work out, either.
Jones lost his starting job.
Phoenix Suns center Nick Richards (left) and guards Collin Gillespie (center) and Tyus Jones (21) watch from the bench during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at PHX Arena in Phoenix on March 30, 2025.
Becoming more of a 3-point shooter and playing off the ball, Jones averaged 10.2 points, shot a career-best 41.4% from distance for a second straight season, but managed just 5.3 assists, two fewer than the previous season with Washington, and a career-high 1.1 turnovers.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday Jones has agreed to a one-year deal with the Orlando Magic for $7 million. He played on a one-year, $3 million contract in Phoenix.
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Booker took on the task of playmaker last season, still averaging 25.6 points, but he often played to how teams defended him, rather than forcing the defense to adjust to him.
After all, he’s Phoenix’s all-time leader in points. He’s been collecting buckets for a living.
The Suns could easily roll into this season with Booker continuing his role of facilitator with scoring ability, but maybe Gillespie can ease that load a little bit as his backup.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How Suns Collin Gillespie can ease Devin Booker point guard role