00:00Hey Suns fans, welcome back to the channel. We have some important contract business to discuss,
00:06and it involves one of our key guys this season. ESPN's front office insider, Bobby Marks,
00:11has highlighted Colin Gillespie's upcoming free agency as one of the most critical questions of
00:15the entire summer. Here is the situation. Gillespie is currently playing on a one-year
00:20deal worth $20,000, which is fully guaranteed. That means when the season ends, he is set to
00:27become an unrestricted free agent. But, according to Marks, Gillespie has completely outplayed that
00:34contract, and the numbers back that up. When Gillespie is on the floor, the Suns are a plus
00:384.8 points per 100 possessions. That is a significant positive impact. A stat provided by
00:45Marks, via cleaning the glass, looking at his individual production, it is clear why this is
00:50a big story. The third-year pro has started 36 of Phoenix's 55 games so far. He is posting career
00:57highs across the board. Averaging 13.2 points, 4.7 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game.
01:06His shooting splits are solid too. 43% from the field, an impressive 42% from 3-point range,
01:12and 84.6% from the free throw line. His role has exploded. Last season he was playing just 14
01:19minutes
01:20a night. This year, he is logging 28.3 minutes per game, more than double. Earlier this month,
01:26he showed us exactly what he is capable of by dropping a career-high, 30 points, and tying his
01:32personal best with 8 made 3-pointers in a single game. He is clearly a major part of this team's
01:38present. Now, here is the financial side of things. The Suns do hold Gillespie's early bird rights.
01:44This is a cap exception that allows the team to go over the salary cap to re-sign him.
01:49However, other franchises with cap space can step in and offer him more money on the open market.
01:54What does that early bird right actually mean for the Suns? It allows Phoenix to offer him up to
01:59175% of his current salary, or 105% of the league average salary from the previous season,
02:07whichever is greater. Because of that calculation, Gillespie is eligible to sign
02:11a four-year contract with the Suns worth a total of $66.6 million. And just so you know,
02:18any deal signed using these rights has to be for a minimum of two seasons,
02:22and that doesn't include an option year. So, the front office has a big decision to make.
02:30Do you think Gillespie has done enough this season to earn that kind of long-term commitment from the
02:35Suns?
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