The Phoenix Suns might have had a rocky start to the season, but from a personal standpoint, backup point guard Collin Gillespie is in a great place. The 26-year-old has had a positive impact on both ends of the court, while the 25.8 minutes he is playing each night is the fifth most of any player on the roster. A huge jump for a guy who was on a two-way contract last year.
Gillespie appears to have improved in every statistical category for the Suns, while also bringing a constant fight on the court that fans have gravitated towards. Having watched a roster that included Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal not deliver each night for a couple of seasons, it is no wonder Gillespie has established himself as a firm fan favorite in the early stages of the campaign.
Suns need to consider starting Gillespie in the near future.
While there is no sign of Jalen Green making his debut as a result of his hamstring injury, and with the Suns looking for ways to be better each night, head coach Jordan Ott has to think about starting Gillespie alongside Devin Booker. Unthinkable just a few weeks ago, Gillespie has earned the opportunity to show what he can do.
There will also never be a better time to attempt this than now, given Green and Dillon Brooks remain unavailable. This would be a tougher sell if the roster were fully healthy, and it would bring with it two added bonuses. The first is that it would allow Booker to revert back to being the elite scorer he has already shown that he is this season.
We've already seen how former floor general Tyus Jones has struggled since leaving The Valley, but that was when Durant and Beal were in town. The rotations are more straightforward now, and having Gillespie play even more with Booker looks like a sensible way to try and jumpstart an offense that is scoring the fifth fewest points in the league (111.5) so far this season.
This change would also give Jordan Goodwin a chance to be promoted to the backup role, as he is currently barely getting a look in. We know he can help on the defensive end, while he could even defer the playmaking to Booker if he was sharing the court with him. Not that Goodwin's inclusion is guaranteed to make the Suns better, but they signed him this offseason for a reason.
Really though it is the fact Green is still not available that should have the coaching staff thinking up different ways to try and be the best version of themselves. Gillespie has proven in a short time that he is ready for a bigger role - and even if it doesn't work out - coming off the bench again while playing over 20 minutes a night has been proven to work.