Damion Lee lost the 2023-24 season to an injury.
Allow us to introduce another new contributor to Bright Side, and our second from across the Pacific Ocean. I.J. Hamilton joins us from Australia. He started following the Suns back in the early 90s, initially falling for the sunburst jersey and those purple and orange colors.
Welcome to our Phoenix Suns Season in Review series where we do individual PLAYER REVIEWS of each man who contributed in the 2023-24 season. We go through the roster to analyze what went right/wrong for them, and what they can do to get better for next season.
Damion Lee
- Position: Shooting Guard
- Vitals: 6’5”, 210 lbs, 31 years old
- Experience: 6 years
- Stats: Nil for 2023-2024
Contract Details
Damion Lee signed a 2-year, $5,373,575 contract with the Phoenix Suns, including $5,373,575 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $2,686,788. In 2024-25, Lee will earn a base salary of $2,845,342, while carrying a cap hit of $2,845,342 and a dead cap value of $2,845,342. This includes a 2024-25: Player Option (deadline 6/29/24).
To be fair, not the worst money we have spent this season.
Career Progression
Lee went undrafted in 2016 and immediately started in the G-League. In 2018 he signed with the Atlanta Hawks, playing in 15 games and starting in 11 of them. Moving on from Atlanta, Lee started at the Golden State Warriors on a 10-day contract and would remain there for 4 seasons, culminating in an NBA Championship in 2022.
Onto his time in Phoenix, Lee signed with the Suns in 2022. In his first season in PHX he had some glimmers of brilliance. His regular season 3-point stats of .445, making a total of 110 3-pointers, clearly show that shooting is his niche.
Due to an injury on his right knee, this past season Lee spent time waiving towels and hyping up the team. He has done this very well too.
Lee is a competent player. When his head is in the game. He can be a 3-Point Assassin when need be and in today’s game, this is vital.
Regular Season Recap
Well, obviously this season wasn’t a career highlight for Lee. He has been on the bench since October 24th, 2023 with an an injury that occurred during a workout in practice before training camp even started. Lee had to undergo meniscus repair surgery for his right knee.
We all hope he can come back strong and continue to be the player he was, leading into this injury. Coming back from an injury/surgery like this will never be easy. We just need to make sure he comes back at 100%. He should. He has had more than sufficient time to recover.
Postseason Recap
Damion Lee was unable to take part in the postseason due to his injured right knee.
Biggest Strength
Damion Lee’s biggest strength will always be his shooting percentage. He is an aggressive shooter with a huge range underneath him. If he can maintain his health, he can benefit the Suns in multiple ways. His skills coming off the bench will be invaluable if he can play to his full potential.
Biggest Weakness
He is foul-happy. How many times have we seen him foul someone and then look at the referee like “Say What?” Damion can be unfocused at times on defense, which leads to these silly fouls. Also, turnover numbers are a worry. Averaging 1.1 a game (Lee’s second highest turnover ratio of his career, 2019-2022 season he averaged 1.4 per game). Need to keep those numbers in check.
What to Work On
Well, Damion Lee just needs to come back healthy. Straight up. He has to commit to this team. If he is just wanting a roster spot and not actually “having a go” then why bother? Damion Lee has the possibility of being a huge contributor for the Phoenix Suns this coming season.
Likelihood of Return: 5
It’s really up to Mat Ishbia and James Jones on this one. If there is a better option, I’d take it. If not then help him work on the areas of concern in his game.
Overall Grade
Damion Lee was said to be able to return during the 2023-2024 Playoffs. So there is no reason he won’t return at the start of the regular 2024-2025 Season. I really hope he can come back as the scorer he has been in the past. I like Damion Lee, I do. I would like to see him return to our team.
- Overall grade as an NBA player: C+
- Relative grade to preseason expectations: C+