There is no doubt that Collin Gillespie is one of the most popular players among the Phoenix Suns fan base. How can you not love a former two-way player who gives his all every night and has a touch of Steve Nash in his game?
We named him our MVP of the first quarter of the season. The impact the point guard had on this roster was so great, both off the bench and then as a starter.
Jalen Green’s return will hurt Gillespie’s development
But with Jalen Green set to return after a long layoff with injuries, it’s Gillespie who will personally suffer the most in making way for a former top scorer for the Houston Rockets.
The 26-year-old has played 23 of 42 games for the franchise this season, providing the perfect foundation for head coach Jordan Ott, both for his ability to manage possessions but also defer to Devin Booker when needed.
We’ve already taken a microscopic look at the impact he can have for minutes on the court that leads to wins for Phoenix, and that progress will certainly be derailed by Green’s return.
Collin Gillespie vs. Brooklyn:
22 PTS
5 REB
5 AST
7-10 FGThe first Suns guard with multiple 20/5/5 games at 90 TS% since Leandro Barbosa in 2009. pic.twitter.com/Oc93n1fWTG
— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 20, 2026
Someone will have to go to the bench to make room for Green, and we’ve seen Grayson Allen struggle when that’s happened to him in the past.
Allen is also the better defender than Gillespie, not because he’s smarter or more willing to do it. He’s just a bigger body and also has the athleticism needed to hang with wing scorers.
Gillespie can certainly do that and hold his own when opponents switch to him, but that’s not a viable long-term strategy when you’re trying to win games, especially in the playoffs.
This doesn’t have to be all bad though, and we’ve already seen Gillespie make a positive impact off the bench earlier this season.
Having the kind of depth from a player of Gillespie’s caliber, who is unsurprisingly posting career highs across the board, is exactly how you go from a fun and playful team to a contender.
But he has also proven that he can be a starter for a team that wins games and is competitive. He’s also trying to get paid this season, and all that time spent as a starter for a franchise that got some national attention because of how hard they play helped his case immensely.
Once again, this could work in the Suns’ favor. Less time as a starter could strengthen their own position in terms of what kind of contract they will offer him, in order to have money to improve other areas.
But it remains a shame that Gillespie, despite all the good he has done in Phoenix this season, is the player who will have to sacrifice his role and some minutes to get Green involved.
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