3 Promising Suns Who Impressed This Season

Reality is beginning to set in for the Phoenix Suns.

Just one game remains in a season that has gone anything but expected for a franchise that entered into training camp as a popular pick to make a run in the Western Conference playoffs.

With the chance of reaching the postseason now gone, the organization must do soul searching - including exploring what changes can be made to ultimately rectify the issues that have plagued the last two years.

Amongst those potential changes is clearly how the roster has been built - the makeup clearly will not be the same as this season come October, but there are a small handful of promising players that have likely played their way onto the team next season.

Collin Gillespie

Five double-digit scoring efforts from the Villanova product - along with the infectious energy the two-way stud brought in 31 appearances this season has likely locked him into a roster spot for next season.

Gillespie was widely loved when with the Denver Nuggets, but remaining with the G-League squad in two years with the franchise ultimately lead the point guard to Phoenix.

Gillespie's ability as a connective passer, knockdown shooter, and communicator on defense has allowed him to usurp Monte Morris and even Tyus Jones in certain instances - expect the first-year Sun to get a year two.

Oso Ighodaro

Ighodaro was widely believed to be a sleeper in last June's draft - the Phoenix native backed up many of those sentiments in 59 appearances to this point.

The Marquette product is the prototypical modern-day big - outside of being a floor spacer.

Ighodaro has an advanced understanding of the game even as a rookie, has served as a reliable screener, brings explosive athleticism to the table in doses, and is a phenomenal passer out of the post.

The sweet-stroke floater has also served the Valley native well - and the other parts of Ighodaro's game should only grow in time.

Ryan Dunn

Dunn is already one of the better perimeter defenders in basketball.

While the first-round pick needs to continue to develop on the offensive side of the ball, there were enough flashes as a spot-up shooter and as an off-ball cutter to believe that he can become a player cut from a similar cloth as Mikal Bridges long-term.

The truth is that Dunn did not shoot the ball consistently enough for much of the season - but there were very pointed individual games that served as legitimate proof that this isn't the same Dunn that shot a paltry 23% from three-point range in college.

The final two chances to see the trio of promising players are tonight and Sunday afternoon.