The Phoenix Suns have spent the last couple of years showing a clear eye for hidden value, and Pat Spencer fits right into that lane.
That’s been the pattern. Collin Gillespie.
Jordan Goodwin. Jamaree Bouyea for stretches last season.
Even Dillon Brooks, who was far more visible than the others, still represented the same kind of bet: bring in a hard-nosed competitor who plays with edge, makes the simple read, and doesn’t need the offense built around him. That’s the kind of player Phoenix keeps finding.
Spencer is the latest one.
The Suns signed the 30-year-old guard to a two-way contract in early July, and it barely registered nationally. On the surface, it looks like a standard depth move after the guard group needed reinforcement following some early offseason uncertainty. But the deeper read is that it says a lot about how Phoenix is operating in 2026.
Spencer comes in after the best season of his career with the Golden State Warriors. He appeared in 66 games, including 14 starts, and put up 7.2 points, 3.5 assists, and 2.4 rebounds per game while shooting 42.7% from the field and 35.7% from three.
Those numbers don’t scream headline grabber, but the starter version of Spencer tells a better story. In that role, he averaged 11.4 points, 5.1 assists, and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 40% from deep.
He wasn’t operating in a system where the ball was going through him every trip. Steve Kerr had Steph Curry, after all, and even with Curry missing time, Spencer still wasn’t the centerpiece.
But when the Warriors needed him to handle bigger minutes, he delivered with efficiency. He also chipped in 0.7 steals per game, another sign of a player who stays active and engaged.
The bigger selling point, though, is what Spencer brings beyond the box score.
Kerr didn’t hold back on him, saying “he’s kind of the perfect guy to have as a backup” because “he can win you games” and brings consistent energy and attitude regardless of playing time. That’s strong praise from a coach who doesn’t hand it out lightly.
There’s a reason Spencer keeps popping up in these conversations. His edge is part of who he is.
His brother Cam is also in the NBA, and Pat’s competitive streak reportedly showed up long before pro basketball - in everyday childhood stuff like racing to elevators or calling shotgun. That kind of mindset doesn’t disappear just because a player is on a two-way deal.
Phoenix likes guys with that chip, and Spencer has it.
The fit is pretty obvious when you look at the Suns’ guard setup entering 2026-27. Devin Booker and Jalen Green are the primary creators, while Collin Gillespie and Luke Kennard handle secondary playmaking.
Jordan Goodwin’s “super guard” role as a psuedo small or power forward adds another layer. Spencer is not walking into a guaranteed rotation spot, and he probably won’t touch 15 minutes a night unless injuries hit.
But that’s not really the point.
The Suns are paying him to be ready.
And in a season where the guard rotation can get scrambled quickly, that matters. Last year’s injury carousel made it clear how important it is to have more than a thin group of ballhandlers. Spencer gives Phoenix another option when foul trouble or injuries force changes.
He checks the boxes modern teams need. Small guards get targeted on defense in the playoffs.
Backup point guards have to keep the second unit organized without giving the ball away. Perimeter players need to avoid foul trouble while still holding up against bigger, more athletic wings.
Spencer’s 40% three-point shooting as a starter helps spacing. His assist numbers suggest he can move the offense without forcing it.
His competitiveness suggests he won’t disappear when the pressure rises.
That’s the kind of depth move that matters in the West. The margin between a good playoff team and a real contender often comes down to whether the bench can hold the line without breaking spacing or decision-making.
Spencer’s path only reinforces why the Suns are interested. He was a standout college lacrosse player at Loyola University Maryland, won the Tewaaraton Award as the nation’s top player in 2019, and was selected first overall in the 2019 Premier Lacrosse League Draft. Then he switched gears, used his final year of college eligibility at Northwestern University, played professionally overseas with Hamburg Towers in Germany, and worked his way through the G League to get to the NBA.
Nothing about that path was easy.
The next step is straightforward. Spencer will spend time in the G League with the Suns’ affiliate, which is part of the deal on a two-way contract.
But if Booker, Green, Gillespie, Kennard, or Goodwin run into injuries or foul trouble, he can be called on. If the second unit stalls, he can get a look.
The door is open.
And he’s already shown he can take advantage of it. One of Spencer’s best games last season came against the Suns in February, when he scored a career-high 20 points and was one of Golden State’s key pieces in a fourth-quarter comeback from double digits.
That’s the profile Phoenix keeps betting on: low-cost, high-function, no-nonsense depth. Spencer fits it cleanly.
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