The case for Collin Gillespie to open games for the Phoenix Suns just got a lot louder.
Miles Bridges’ arrival gives that conversation another layer, because Bridges’ best work has come when he’s paired with a passer who can get him clean looks. That was the pattern in Charlotte, where Bridges had the benefit of what’s been called the LaMelo Ball effect, and the numbers back it up.
As CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn wrote in June after the trade, Bridges showed a clear edge when he shared the floor with Ball, even dubbing him a "LaMelo Ball merchant." Quinn also pointed out that Phoenix does not have anything close to a LaMelo Ball equivalent.
Over the last two seasons, Bridges posted a 60.8 TS% with LaMelo on the floor and a 51.1 TS% with him off it. A season ago, Bridges got 759 passes from Ball; the next closest teammate, Kon Knueppel, was at 399.
Of Bridges’ made baskets last season, 310 were assisted and 169 were unassisted. The picture is pretty plain: Bridges is at his best when someone else is creating the advantage and finding him for easy finishes or open shots.
He is not a guy who is built to manufacture a steady diet of offense on his own.
That matters in Phoenix because the Suns’ projected starting group doesn’t naturally include a true table-setter. The expected five is Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Bridges, and either Oso Ighodaro or second-year player Khaman Maluach until Mark Williams comes back from a torn labrum injury.
Booker can handle the ball, and he’ll make the right pass, but he’s not really a point guard. Last season, according to Cleaning the Glass, he split nearly evenly between the two guard spots.
At point guard, his efficiency differential was -0.7 points per 100 possessions. At shooting guard, it jumped to +9.2 points per 100 possessions.
The message there is simple: Booker is much more effective in the role that lets him score first.
Gillespie helps solve that. He’s coming off a career-best season in which he averaged 4.6 assists and only 1.6 turnovers per game, and his shooting gives him real value as a guard who can keep the offense moving without taking the ball out of Booker’s hands. He would also slide Booker back into the more natural two-guard spot.
Green is part of the equation too, but his career 1.4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio doesn’t exactly scream primary ballhandler. If Gillespie starts, either Green or Brooks would likely have to come off the bench, and it’s not clear either would welcome that.
Still, on paper, the move makes sense. It gives Bridges a more natural passer, puts Booker where he’s most effective, and gives the Suns a cleaner fit in the backcourt.
In Other News...
Warriors Linked To Devin Booker In A Post-Klay Swing That Changes Everything
Trade whispers around Devin Booker have a way of drawing attention, and this latest one is no different. According to Tim Kawakami, the Warriors are keeping a close eye on the Suns star and see him as the kind of player who could reshape their next era, even as Booker remains tied to Phoenix by loyalty and status as the face of the franchise.
Golden State has not taken any official action, but the interest alone says plenty about how aggressively the market can move around a player of Bookers caliber. From Phoenixs side, the stance has stayed firm, with ownership making clear there is no intention of moving him, leaving the bigger question less about a deal being available and more about how long this kind of speculation can keep building. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Dunn Just Got A Suns Opportunity He Did Not Expect
Mark Williams injury has quietly opened a door the Suns did not seem prepared to revisit, and Ryan Dunn suddenly looks like one of the players who could benefit most. Dunn had been nudged out of the rotation by the teams offseason additions, but his defensive versatility still gives Phoenix a useful option as it sorts through the ripple effect of Williams being unavailable.
The coaching staff now has room to get creative with lineups, and Dunn could be part of that answer in ways that were not on the table just a short time ago. Whether that means a larger role in the frontcourt or a different kind of defensive look, his path back into the mix is suddenly much clearer, even if the exact shape of that opportunity is still being worked out. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Suddenly Face A Risky Khaman Maluach Decision
Mark Williams shoulder surgery has left the Suns in a difficult spot, with a proven big man suddenly unavailable for an extended stretch and the middle of the roster under more scrutiny than expected. Phoenix has been planning to bring Khaman Maluach along carefully as a sophomore center, and this latest setback only sharpens the tension between developing him and trying to stay competitive right now.
Maluach has the size and long-term appeal to matter down the line, but the current roster picture makes it harder to ask him to carry too much too soon. The Suns have leaned on veterans to steady the group, and the next move in the frontcourt will say plenty about how aggressive they want to be with Maluachs role while they try to bridge the gap left by Williams. [Read more 🡒]