SunsRank: Why this forgotten Sun could be the key to Phoenix’s success in 2024-25

When you spend an entire season on the injured list, people tend to forget about you. And if the last time they saw you, you were struggling and not quite fulfilling your role, they might write you off entirely.

This is the case For Damion Lee, who returns to the Phoenix Suns for his third season in 2024-25. Lee, who will be 32 years old when the season begins, last played for the Suns on May 11, 2023 in the Game 6 whoopin’ the Phoenix suffered at the hands of the Denver Nuggets.

Lee’s postseason run wasn’t his best. Over 8 games, he averaged just 2.1 points, shooting 30% from the field and 20% from three-point range. It was an unceremonious end to a season in which he finished third in three-point shooting in the NBA, hitting 44.5% of his 247 three-point attempts that season.

That is the last taste we have of Damion Lee. He spent 2023-24 on the sidelines after suffering a major right knee injury before training camp last season.

“The last six months have been tough,” Lee told Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin this past April. “Had some ups and downs. However the process goes is how long it goes. Very serious injury, serious surgery, serious recovery. Taking it all day-by-day and when I’m back out there, I’m back out there.”

This season, he will be back out there.

We just wrapped up our annual SunsRank here at Bright Side, and it turns out I’m a bit of a Damion Lee enthusiast. I ranked him as the 10th-best Phoenix Sun, putting him ahead of Bol Bol, Ryan Dunn, Nassir Little, and a few others.

When we use the term “best” in SunsRank, it’s a catch-all that combines talent, fit, and overall impact. We’re not just looking at skill or team fit separately; “best” is our way of wrapping it all up into one comprehensive ranking.

Why did I rank him higher than most? Because I genuinely believe his contributions this season will be significant. I see him stepping into his destined role and excelling.

Last season, we really felt Damien Lee’s absence. The Suns missed his reliable three-point shooting off the bench, which was something the team desperately needed. The Suns were dead-last in the NBA for bench three-point shooting, hitting just 31.9% of their attempts. We had high hopes for Eric Gordon to fill this role, but he didn’t deliver. Off the bench, he managed only 32.6% from deep. Not exactly the sharpshooter we needed.

Where Gordon failed, Lee can succeed. He can keep the offense rolling when the big guns are cooling their barrels. We witnessed it in 2022-23. It will happen again in 2024-25.

I understand that there is some concern because of the way that he ended the 2022-23 season. Lee began the season shooting 3.7 three-pointers per game through the first five months of the season. But, even as one of the top three-point shooters in the league, that dropped to 1.8 attempts in the final two months of the season.

Lee stopped shooting and started attacking the cylinder. Pump fakes turned into drives, drives turned into floaters, floaters turned into bricks. That is the last impression that some have of Damon Lee with the Suns.

But what was the “why”? Why did Damion Lee stop taking three-pointers and start attempting to create his own shot?

Part of the issue was that defenses adjusted to his three-point shooting, closing out hard on the perimeter. Another factor was the shift in his role. The second unit became a ghost town after the Kevin Durant trade depleted our depth. With the spacing compromised, Damion Lee no longer had the freedom to fire away from deep.

Rest assured, this is a whole new ball game. The team is different, and Damion Lee will have more support on the offensive end with the revamped second unit. The roster is now better structured, with players having clearly defined roles, much like the unit he played with the front half of the 2022-23 season.

When you survey the current lineup, it’s clear that Lee is set up for a standout season. He’s poised to fill the role Eric Gordon was supposed to, which, frankly, isn’t setting the bar too high. Lee will make a significant impact and play a key role in the team’s future successes. And that’s why I have him as the 10th-best Sun on the team this year.

Returning to the rankings, I don’t see the same upside for Bol Bol, Josh Okogie, or Ryan Dunn to have an impact on the roster. And that is why D. Lee is #10 in my rankings.