Suns 2024-2025 Season Discussions

[Hoop Head]

The problem with Damion Lee is we signed him last season for a two-year deal with a player option for the 2nd. I never understood why we wanted to bring him back, given how he shyed away from taking 3s despite being quite open the 2nd half of the previous season. I guess he wanted to stay with that deal but mgmt talked him into opting out and getting resigned for the same money. This way Suns save a couple million tax and he'd be dumped by waiving or trading away more easily on a financial term.

How does it save the Suns money by returning on the same deal he opted out of? He could have been waived before, just like now, I don't see how him opting out and resigning saved anything or created more flexibility.

 

[CardNots]

Maybe he knows where the skeletons are buried.

Who’s daughter is he involved with or wife for that matter?

 

[Chaplin]

How does it save the Suns money by returning on the same deal he opted out of? He could have been waived before, just like now, I don't see how him opting out and resigning saved anything or created more flexibility.

It actually doesn't save the Suns any money. In fact, and I know this isn't going to be popular with anyone, his opting out allowed him to resign at a slightly higher salary because we had his bird rights. So if he opted in, he'd get the vet minimum, but opting out and resigning, he was able to get a little more than that.

 

[Ronin]

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[Suns_fan69]

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I hope that's not true. Damion Lee as the 14th or 15th guy? Sure, whatever, probably better candidates out there but won't impact the majority of games as it's only garbage time really.

Damion Lee as the 8th guy (EG was 5th in MPG and overall minutes on the Suns last year)? Now we have some problems. He's too one dimensional and brings nothing to the table we don't already get with Grayson Allen.

 

[clyde2tw]

How does it save the Suns money by returning on the same deal he opted out of? He could have been waived before, just like now, I don't see how him opting out and resigning saved anything or created more flexibility.

One year min deal counts 2.08mil or so against cap, but not multiple-year min deals. Damion's min as a vet is about 2.8mil, so we save about 700k on cap count and thus avoid the 5-6time penulty as high 2nd apron team.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I hope that's not true. Damion Lee as the 14th or 15th guy? Sure, whatever, probably better candidates out there but won't impact the majority of games as it's only garbage time really.

Damion Lee as the 8th guy (EG was 5th in MPG and overall minutes on the Suns last year)? Now we have some problems. He's too one dimensional and brings nothing to the table we don't already get with Grayson Allen.

He was probably better for a couple of months in 2022/23 than Gordon was for us last year. But why'd he tail off, why'd he stop taking open shots? If there's a legit reason for Lee disappearing and that has since been resolved, then great. If not, it's just one more nail in the coffin for JJ and the front office.

 

[Mainstreet]

I hope that's not true. Damion Lee as the 14th or 15th guy? Sure, whatever, probably better candidates out there but won't impact the majority of games as it's only garbage time really.

Damion Lee as the 8th guy (EG was 5th in MPG and overall minutes on the Suns last year)? Now we have some problems. He's too one dimensional and brings nothing to the table we don't already get with Grayson Allen.

Yes, Eric Gordon was able to drive the ball to the basket with authority, although less so with the Suns. That is not part of Lee's game.

 

[Chaplin]

Yes, Eric Gordon was able to drive the ball to the basket with authority, although less so with the Suns. That is not part of Lee's game.

That's definitely something Gordon has on Lee. But Gordon, for all his skills, wasn't a volume shooter, and I have a feeling that's what we wanted him to be. Lee most definitely is. Time will tell if it makes a difference.

EG's stats don't tell the whole store -- a guy with ok stats, especially for a minimum player, but IMO he consistently failed the eye test. It's never fails to amaze looking at his stats and just going, "What? Really? REALLY?"

 

[Mainstreet]

That's definitely something Gordon has on Lee. But Gordon, for all his skills, wasn't a volume shooter, and I have a feeling that's what we wanted him to be. Lee most definitely is. Time will tell if it makes a difference.

EG's stats don't tell the whole store -- a guy with ok stats, especially for a minimum player, but IMO he consistently failed the eye test. It's never fails to amaze looking at his stats and just going, "What? Really? REALLY?"

I prefer Eric Gordon over Lee, but that is me. Of course, my opinion is shaped by his overall career.

Gordon had a better all around game and could play a little point guard, but I didn't see it much here. Eric could be a tough customer at times.

 

[Chaplin]

I prefer Eric Gordon over Lee, but that is me. Of course, my opinion is shaped by his overall career.

Gordon had a better all around game and could play a little point guard, but I didn't see it much here. Eric could be a tough customer at times.

I'm with you on Gordon. I wouldn't have been opposed to him staying with the Suns, but at the end of the day I'm not that broken up about him leaving. His presence certainly didn't help us win all that much.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I prefer Eric Gordon over Lee, but that is me. Of course, my opinion is shaped by his overall career.

Gordon had a better all around game and could play a little point guard, but I didn't see it much here. Eric could be a tough customer at times.

Going into last year I would have absolutely preferred Gordon over Lee. Now? Not so much. My first preference would be for almost anyone other than those two but if it has to be one of them, I'm okay with Lee given that history suggests he's less likely to complain about minutes and touches.

 

[Mainstreet]

Going into last year I would have absolutely preferred Gordon over Lee. Now? Not so much. My first preference would be for almost anyone other than those two but if it has to be one of them, I'm okay with Lee given that he's less likely to complain about minutes and touches.

Gordon has lost some of his game, so I understand your thoughts about Lee.

I guess I will continue to beat the same drum since the Suns last lost in the Finals.

They need one more capable player at point guard and center. The reason I think this way is that these two positions always keep coming back to bite the Suns in the rear.

 

[Mainstreet]

@AzStevenCal

I should have mentioned with the Suns focus on taking more threes, keeping Lee could pay dividends.

 

[Superbone]

At least we know Lee isn't afraid to shoot the game winner.

 

[JCSunsfan]

At least we know Lee isn't afraid to shoot the game winner.

There are two big problems with shooting game-winners in basketball--the players that should and don't, and the players that shouldn't and do.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Yes, Eric Gordon was able to drive the ball to the basket with authority, although less so with the Suns. That is not part of Lee's game.

Yeah, that's a fair point. Eric Gordon is a better driver/finisher, and also a passable on-ball defender.

 

[Mainstreet]

Damion Lee expects to be ready for Suns training camp.

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[Mainstreet]

I thought the Suns could trade their 2031 first round pick. So when does this additional penalty kick in, next summer?

It may behoove them to trade it earlier if the below information is correct.

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[Mainstreet]

Collin Gillespie on choosing the Suns.

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[Cheesebeef]

Damion Lee expects to be ready for Suns training camp.

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This dude still isn’t completely recovered from injury and we brought him back? Count me as one of the confused as to why.

 

[CardNots]

This dude still isn’t completely recovered from injury and we brought him back? Count me as one of the confused as to why.

Believe it was to replace Gordon’s three point shooting off the bench. Yeah, I know

 

[95pro]

This dude still isn’t completely recovered from injury and we brought him back? Count me as one of the confused as to why.

Same, and it was a complete meniscus detachment from the bone I believe. Already being limited in lateral movement (gets blown by a lot) I don't see how he makes it back to his level of agility and quickness from this type of injury.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Going into last year I would have absolutely preferred Gordon over Lee. Now? Not so much. My first preference would be for almost anyone other than those two but if it has to be one of them, I'm okay with Lee given that history suggests he's less likely to complain about minutes and touches.

This is where I’m at. Gordon was a lot less impactful than I expected.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Yeah, that's a fair point. Eric Gordon is a better driver/finisher, and also a passable on-ball defender.

Where did this opinion come from? The eye test screamed terrible.