This Suns Standout Brings the Best Value to Phoenix's Roster

The new CBA that kicked off the "apron" era of the NBA has harmed many franchises over the years - including the Phoenix Suns.

This doesn't mean that Phoenix isn't taking advantage of being on the winning side of signing valuable players to bargain contracts, however.

The Suns got on the right side of this equation on multiple occasions this offseason, but it remains to be seen what the absolute best value that Phoenix is the beneficiary of at the moment.

Collin Gillespie: $12 million

Gillespie is now cashing out on a historic 2025-26 season. He inked a four-year, $48 million contract over the offseason to become a core piece of the Suns organization moving forward.

While Gillespie is the highest paid player out of these contenders, he arguably provides more than anyone else on the roster relative to contract. The Villanova product is one of the most malleable offensive players in the entire NBA off the bench, while also being a risk-averse, gritty defender.

There's a distinct chance that Gillespie takes an even larger step forward in 2026-27 as well, which only raises the stakes of the fourth-year guard outperforming what he is making.

Jordan Goodwin: $6.3 million

Goodwin is making the most of his second tenure with the Suns. The Saint Louis alum won out over Jared Butler to earn the final roster spot in Phoenix coming out of the 2025 preseason. 

Now, Goodwin is playing under a three-year, $19 million guarantee. While the swing guard/forward is far from the most efficient offensive player in the world, but he is an effective connector and timely shotmaker, particularly in spot-up situations from beyond the arc.

Phoenix is expecting Goodwin to continue to be a major piece of the rotation, while the sixth-year guard is working towards increasing his contractual value even more moving forward.

Rasheer Fleming: $2.17 million

The second-year Fleming is set to make less than $3 million per year over the next three seasons as a former second-round draft pick. 

While the Saint Joseph's product is far from a finished product, he still has distance to make up as a perimeter defender and all-around offensive weapon. Fleming does excel in scenarios where interior defense is stressed, and is a reliable spot-up shooter from the corner. 

It's still challenging to argue the 6'9" forward being the absolute "best" value on the roster given that he only has 55 games of NBA action under his belt.

Oso Ighodaro: $1.97 million

Ighodaro makes a compelling case to take this title. The third-year big out of Marquette is already establishing himself as one of the best passing bigs in the NBA. He is also a quality finisher (floater game), a relatively versatile defender, and is showing growth as a screener. 

While there are areas of the game that hold Ighodaro back from being a consistent starter (rebounding, floor-spacing), he is absolutely outplaying the value that the life of his contract entails. 

The Verdict: Gillespie

This argument comes down to Ighodaro and Gillespie. The latter takes the title here, as he is already etching himself in Suns history and is fully embracing an expanded role.