PHOENIX — Veteran sharpshooter Damion Lee will officially be returning to the Phoenix Suns on a one-year contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Free agent guard Damion Lee is returning to the Phoenix Suns on a one-year deal, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/wHcqunaKm9
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 3, 2024
Lee had opted out of his $2.85 million player option on June 29, but it was reported quickly after by PHNX’s Gerald Bourguet that the expectation was that Lee would stay in the Valley.
Per a source, the expectation is that Damion Lee stays with the Suns. Similar to Josh Okogie, he can re-sign for slightly above the vet minimum after opting out https://t.co/r5F0P4Fbtj
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) June 29, 2024
According to Bourguet, Lee will be returning on this same $2.85 veteran minimum deal. The Suns held Lee’s non-bird rights, meaning they could re-sign him for up to 120% of his salary in the last season of his prior contract (would have been around $3 million), but it doesn’t appear this will happen.
Damion Lee will return on a vet minimum deal ($2.8M) after all, per source. The Suns are still working to bring Josh Okogie back, which will be for more than the vet minimum using his Bird rights because other teams want him too. Phoenix values his point-of-attack defense (1/2)
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) July 3, 2024
After being one of the best 3-point shooters in the entire NBA in the 2022-23 season, Lee, who won the 2022 NBA Finals with the Golden State Warriors, opted to return to the Suns last summer.Â
The 6-foot-5 guard was looking to build off his first season in Phoenix in which he averaged 8.2 points on 44.5% shooting from 3 and 3.0 rebounds across 74 games.
However, that all came to a halt on Oct. 11, 2023, only a few weeks before the start of the season, when it was announced Lee would be undergoing right meniscus surgery. He did not end up playing in a single game last season after the surgery.
With the departure of Eric Gordon to the Philadelphia 76ers, Lee could see more minutes than he would have off the bench. The Suns’ top backup guards will consist of new signing Monte Morris and one of Grayson Allen or Royce O’Neale, whoever coach Mike Budenholzer decides will come off the bench.
Phoenix now has 14 of  its 15 standard contract roster spots filled with Lee’s return.
Suns’ Projected Depth Chart with the Addition of Lee
A= New addition, R= Rookie
PG:Â Bradley Beal, Monte Morris (A)
SG: Devin Booker, Grayson Allen, Damion Lee, David Roddy
SF:Â Royce O’Neale, Ryan Dunn (R), Nassir Little
PF:Â Kevin Durant, Bol Bol, ?
C: Jusuf Nurkić, Mason Plumlee (A), Oso Ighodaro (R)
Two-way:Â Jalen Bridges (R), Collin Gillepsie (A), ?
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
