The Phoenix Suns' struggles to start the 2026-27 season have been well documented, though one player has managed to escape the most scathing criticism: Collin Gillespie. One of the standout performers for a frisky team last season, he is not being used correctly by Head Coach Jordan Ott and his form has suffered as a result. That has to change quickly.
Regression of Gillespie not entirely his own doing
Through 10 games, Gillespie is averaging 7.2 points and 4.4 assists. His scoring punch is down almost five points from last season, which can be explained by going from a 40.1 percent 3-point shooter on 7.2 attempts to an ugly 31.7 percent on six attempts each night. So too is his time spent on the court, which has shrunk from 28.5 minutes to 24.2.
Given that the 27-year-old signed a four-year, $48 million deal to come back to Phoenix this offseason, that level of production is unacceptable. If you look closer, this is as much on the franchise as it is on Gillespie, with the makeup of the roster no longer playing to his own strengths. If he were inserted into the starting lineup, then both he and the team would surely profit, and Gillespie even has the numbers below to back up the fact that he is still doing a lot of good when he is on the court.
Phoenix's 5 best lineups, sorted by plus-minus.
— Arizona Sports Zone (@AZSportsZone) November 11, 2026
What stands out? ☀️ pic.twitter.com/tFNtDZCy11
His 3-point woes can be explained by the fact that he is sharing the court with guys like Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges, who do little to create space for him. Even Ryan Dunn and Khaman Maluach, who have been alongside him in those best plus-minus lineups, do little to highlight what an elite passer and shooter Gillespie can be.
Some fans believed that Gillespie could be the direct replacement for the scorching Grayson Allen, but his inability to defend multiple positions meant that was never going to happen. The ideal spot for him to do the most damage is in place of Jalen Green in the starting lineup, but that does not look like a decision Coach Ott is willing to make at this point. Instead, he is coming off the bench and is expected to bring order to a lopsided rotation, which is clearly not the best use of his skills.
Gillespie will return to form when Suns commit to being defensive group
As long as the Suns are languishing as one of the five worst defenses in the NBA, they will not get the best out of Gillespie. He thrives having bigger guys around him to guard elite scorers, while he chases and annoys opposing point guards. The Suns were a nightmare to play against every night last season, and Gillespie was as bought into that identity as anybody else. There's a reason Brooks nicknamed him "Villain Jr."
Unfortunately for both the player and team, they don't look like they have the personnel to return to previous defensive glory. Both Green and Bridges are not built to play that way every night, and Devin Booker can only do so much. Gillespie remains the player the organization was right to bring back; they just made some key changes around him that he is yet to figure out. The sooner Gillespie understands how best to contribute once more, the sooner the team will start winning games again.
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