ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks named Collin Gillespie’s upcoming free agency as one of the most important questions of the summer.
Gillespie is on a one-year, $2,378,870 fully guaranteed contract and will become an unrestricted free agent after the season, but Marks said Gillespie has “outplayed” his current deal.
The Suns are a plus-4.8 points per 100 possessions when Gillespie is on the floor, according to Marks via Cleaning the Glass.
The third-year pro has started 36 of Phoenix’s 55 games and is averaging 13.2 points, 4.7 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game (all career highs). He is also shooting 43% from the field, 42% from 3 and 84.6% at the line. Last season, Gillespie averaged 14 minutes per game and this season his minutes have more than doubled, as he is playing 28.3 minutes per game.
Earlier this month, Gillespie also scored a career-high 30 points and tied his career high of eight made 3-pointers in a single game.
While the Suns do have Gillespie’s Early Bird Rights, a cap exception which allows them to exceed the salary cap to retain Gillespie, another franchise could offer Gillespie more money on the open market.
The Early Bird Rights allow the Suns to offer up to 175% of his expiring salary or 105% of the league-average salary from the previous season.
Therefore, Gillespie is eligible to sign a four-year, $66.6 million contract with the Suns, and the contract must be a minimum of two seasons (which doesn’t include an option year).