Gillespie's Suns Contract
Suns Reportedly Agree to Four-Year, $48M Deal with Guard Collin Gillespie
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The Phoenix Suns have agreed to re-sign guard Collin Gillespie on a four-year, $48 million deal, according to ESPN. The agreement, reported Saturday, locks up one of the NBA's breakout stories of the 2025-26 season — a former undrafted player who went from two-way minimum contracts to franchise record-holder in just two years.
Gillespie, 26, set a new Suns franchise record with 232 three-pointers made last season, topping the old mark of 226 set by Quentin Richardson in 2004-05, according to Field Level Media. He also posted career highs of 12.7 points, 4.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game across 80 regular-season appearances.
From Undrafted Two-Way Player to $48 Million Man
Gillespie went undrafted out of Villanova in 2022. He spent two seasons on the fringes of the NBA, signing two-way contracts — short-term deals that limit a player's roster spot and pay — with Denver and then Phoenix, according to Burn City Sports. He played just 33 games for the Suns in 2024-25 before earning a one-year, $2.3 million veteran minimum deal to prove himself.
He proved himself. Gillespie played 80 games last season, started 58 of them, and shot 40.1 percent from three-point range, per Field Level Media. In April, he made his first career playoff start against the Oklahoma City Thunder and averaged 10.5 points per game in that series.
Contract Details and What Phoenix Is Getting for $12M Per Year
The four-year deal averages $12 million per season. Cap analysts at Spotrac project the salary rising each year — from $10.7 million in 2026-27 to $13.3 million in 2029-30. Keith Smith of Spotrac called the deal a "discount," noting some expected Gillespie to draw offers in the "middle to high teens" on the open market, according to Burn City Sports.
The contract runs through 2030, aligning Gillespie's deal with Devin Booker's extension. The two guards "meshed well" last season, with Gillespie's off-ball shooting creating space for Booker to operate, per Field Level Media. Head coach Jordan Ott built a defensive system around exactly the kind of pressure and toughness Gillespie brings.
Suns' Luxury Tax Situation Gets Tighter With This Signing
The Gillespie deal comes with a financial catch. Cap expert Yossi Gozlan noted the signing brings Phoenix within roughly $4 million of the projected $200.5 million luxury tax line, according to Hoops Rumors. That is a problem if the Suns also want to re-sign guard Jordan Goodwin, who is a pending free agent.
To stay below the punitive "apron" threshold — a hard spending cap with heavy penalties — the Suns may need to trade players like Haywood Highsmith or Jamaree Bouyea to clear room, per Hoops Rumors. Some analysts at RealGM suggest veterans like Grayson Allen or Royce O'Neale could also become trade candidates to fix the team's lack of size.
Suns Finished 45-37 But Were Swept Out of the Playoffs
Phoenix posted a 45-37 record in the regular season but lost in the first round to the Oklahoma City Thunder. That sweep raised questions about the team's depth and length. Keeping Gillespie was seen as the "first domino" of the offseason to maintain continuity, according to Burn City Sports.
Critics, including analysts at Hoops Rumors and Locked On Suns, warn the Suns could head into next season with the same structural problems unless they use this signing as a springboard for a bigger trade. Supporters point to Gillespie's efficiency and toughness as exactly the culture-building piece a young roster needs around Booker, per Sportsnet.
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