Lee (hamstring) is available for Wednesday's season opener versus the Clippers, Amanda Pflugrad of 3TV Phoenix reports.
Lee and Grayson Allen (Achilles) have both been cleared for action Wednesday, bringing Phoenix's backcourt to full strength with the exception of Josh Okogie (hamstring). Lee will suit up for the first time since May 11 of 2023 after missing all of last season due to meniscus complications.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Probable for Wednesday
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Lee (hamstring) is probable for Wednesday's regular-season opener against the Clippers, Gerald Bourguet of GoPHNX.com reports.
Lee is expected to be ready for the regular season after dealing with hamstring soreness to end the preseason. After missing all of last season due to meniscus surgery, Lee is looking to reclaim the reserve role he held in 2022-23, when he averaged 20.4 minutes per game across 74 regular-season appearances (five starts) for the Suns.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Nursing hamstring injury
Rotowire
Head coach Mike Budenholzer said Monday that Lee is dealing with a hamstring issue but is close to returning, Gerald Bourguet of GoPHNX.com reports.
Lee was held out of the Suns' preseason finale against the Lakers on Thursday. He was able to get in some 5-on-5 reps during Monday's practice, but it's unclear whether he'll be available for the Suns' regular-season opener against the Clippers on Sunday. Lee missed the entire 2023-24 campaign while recovering from meniscus surgery, and he's expected to come off the bench to provide depth on the wing.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Plays six minutes off bench Friday
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Lee (groin) played six minutes off the bench in Friday's 109-91 preseason loss to the Pistons. He finished scoreless (0-4 FG, 0-2 3Pt).
Lee didn't make an impact in this game, but he saw the court, meaning the groin injury he was dealing with was nothing major. Lee is competing for a bench role on the 2024-25 regular-season roster.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Headed to locker room
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Lee went to the locker room with 8:49 remaining in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's preseason game against the Pistons after taking a hit to the groin/leg area, Gerald Bourguet of GoPHNX.com reports.
With Tuesday's contest almost over, it seems unlikely Lee will check back in. As things stand, he is set to finish with one rebound and one steal in five minutes of action. Lee's next chance to suit up is Friday's preseason rematch with Detroit.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Fully available for start of camp
Rotowire
Lee (knee) said Monday that he will be fully available for Tuesday's practice session, Gerald Bourguet of GoPHNX.com reports.
Lee missed the entire 2023-24 campaign due to meniscus surgery but rejoined the Suns on a one-year deal in early July. The 31-year-old carved out a decent role during his first year with Phoenix in 2022-23, averaging 8.2 points and 3.0 rebounds in 20.4 minutes per game. Assuming he doesn't face any setbacks during camp, it wouldn't be surprising to see him earn a role in the rotation once again this year.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Staying in Phoenix
Rotowire
Lee (knee) and the Suns agreed to a one-year deal Wednesday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
After missing the entire 2023-24 campaign while recovering from meniscus surgery, Lee will get another chance to prove his worth with the Suns. Back in 2022-23, Lee was a key rotation player for the Suns, averaging 8.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 three-pointers and 1.4 assists in 20.4 minutes over 74 regular-season appearances. Lee is expected to be fully healthy ahead of training camp.
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Damion Lee: Will test free agency
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Lee (knee) declined his $2.85 million player option with the Suns on Saturday, and he will test unrestricted free agency, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.
Lee saw decent playing time in his first, and possibly final, season with Phoenix. The 31-year-old averaged 8.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists across 20.4 minutes in 74 regular-season games. What was most impressive about Lee's game was his improved shot from long range. The six-year NBA veteran made a career-high 44.5 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Remains out to start postseason
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Coach Frank Vogel said Friday that Lee (knee) remains out to start the postseason, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.
Lee missed the entire 2023-24 regular season but hopes to return during the postseason. Even if he gets the green light, the veteran guard isn't guaranteed a rotational role, especially if the Suns are playing well.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Hopes to return in postseason
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Coach Frank Vogel said Wednesday that Lee (knee) has done some light shooting, and while he isn't expected to return before the end of the regular season, the Suns hope to have him back at some point in the playoffs, Gerald Bourguet of GoPHNX.com reports.
Lee will likely miss the entire 2023-24 regular season while he completes his recovery from the surgery he underwent in October to repair a torn meniscus. Though he appears to be close to a return and may make it back for the playoffs, Lee isn't a sure bet to factor into Phoenix's rotation, given his long layoff along with the fact that he was only a minor contributor off the Suns bench when he was healthy in 2022-23.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Another absence coming
Rotowire
Lee (knee) won't play in Wednesday's game versus the Cavaliers.
Lee has yet to suit up this season while recovering from right knee surgery. It is unclear if Lee will take the floor before the end of the regular season.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Still out
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Lee (knee) is out for Monday's game against the Pelicans.
Lee has yet to make an appearance this season, so his absence doesn't impact the rotation. The veteran guard remains without a clear timetable for return.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Remains out against OKC
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Lee (knee) is out for Friday's game against the Thunder, Gerald Bourguet of GoPHNX.com reports.
Lee has yet to resume on-court activities and has no clear timetable for his return, so he might miss the rest of the regular season and possibly the playoffs. The veteran guard has yet to play in 2023-24.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Still not working out on court
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Head coach Frank Vogel said Monday that Lee (knee) has yet to resume on-court work, but the Suns remain hopeful that the 31-year-old will play before the end of the regular season, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports. "On track," Vogel said, in reference to Lee's recovery from the meniscus surgery he underwent in October. "Hopefully at some point towards the end of the regular season we can start talking about where he's at in terms of getting back on the floor."
The Suns aren't putting an official timeline on Lee making his 2023-24 season, but based on Vogel's comments, the veteran wing isn't on track to be available coming out of the All-Star break, and a mid-to-late March or early April return may be a more realistic target at this point. If Phoenix isn't dealing with any injuries to their other key guards or wings by the time Lee is ready to play, he'll likely find himself on the outside looking in for a rotation spot. In his first season with Phoenix in 2022-23, Lee appeared in 74 contests and averaged 8.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 three-pointers and 1.4 assists in 20.4 minutes per game.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Still far from return
Rotowire
Lee (knee) is still a "ways away" from returning but hopes to see action before the end of the regular season, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.
Lee has yet to take the court this season as he continues to recover from a right knee surgery he underwent in September. The 31-year-old guard is still waiting to resume on-court activities and seems a few months away from being able to see game action.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Yet to begin on-court work
Rotowire
Lee (knee) remains out with no timetable to return following late September surgery on his right meniscus, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.
Lee underwent meniscus repair surgery in his right knee in the final week of September. Opting to repair his tissue as opposed to trimming the meniscus does come with a longer recovery window, and coach Frank Vogel noted Wednesday that Lee is still firmly in the rehab stage while doing "no on-court work" and being "a ways away" from returning to action. The 31-year-old is 13 weeks removed from being ruled out indefinitely, and he is best regarded as week-to-week until reports emerge of Lee ramping up activity.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Has successful meniscus surgery
Rotowire
Lee (knee) underwent a successful procedure to repair his right meniscus and will be out indefinitely, Gerald Bourguet of GoPHNX.com reports.
Lee sustained the injury to his right meniscus during an on-court workout roughly two weeks ago and was forced to undergo surgery. While he wasn't given a timetable for return, he should be expected to be sidelined for the foreseeable future. Considering the Suns' massive roster turnover this offseason, it wasn't clear if Lee would be a regular part of the rotation. However, his absence could clear up some opportunities for Grayson Allen and Eric Gordon on the wing.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Out indefinitely with knee injury
Rotowire
Lee has suffered a right knee injury and will be out until further notice, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports.
Rankin relays that Lee is believed to have suffered a meniscus injury during a recent workout at the team's training facility. The severity remains unclear, but this is certainly an issue that could sideline him for the first few weeks of the regular season. Lee likely wasn't on fantasy radars anyway, but in his presumed absence, Grayson Allen, Eric Gordon and Jordan Goodwin are candidates for increased roles behind Bradley Beal and Devin Booker.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Inks deal with Phoenix
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The Suns signed Lee to a two-year deal with a player option Friday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
Lee will remain in Phoenix after spending the 2022-23 season with the team. The 30-year-old guard averaged 8.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 20.4 minutes across 74 games. With expensive players such as Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal on the roster, the Suns will have to fill out the rest of their depth chart with more cheap moves like Lee.
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Suns' Damion Lee: Modest production in 31 minutes
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Lee contributed eight points (3-7 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds and two assists in 31 minutes during Sunday's 119-114 loss to the Clippers.
Lee saw an uptick in playing time, much like many of his fellow fringe options, but had very little to show for it come the final whistle. Lee has the ability to provide a scoring punch off the bench but with the team now relatively healthy, it is going to be harder for him to crack the rotation, especially with every game now of extra importance.
