The Phoenix Suns are in the process of rebuilding their roster around a younger group of players and Devin Booker, and it is going to take years before they begin to see the fruits of their labor. Prospects such as Rasheer Fleming - who is saying all of the right things before ever even playing a game - and 18-year-old Khaman Maluach could end up being defensive lynchpins or busts.
That is how how much of a gamble the front office has taken on trying to build a team the right away around Booker, although both Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green are going to help them win some games in the short-term. Last season might have been a disaster, but the Suns were actually an elite 3-point shooting team and should lean into that this coming season.
Suns will miss Damion Lee as they let him walk.
One player who definitely could have helped in that regard - and also appears to be over his injury woes of two seasons ago - is Damion Lee. The 32-year-old is both a fan favorite in The Valley, and absolutely could have been kept around on a minimum contract. That won't be happening though, as he has signed on to play in Israel next season.
This might not seem like much, but Lee could have had a clear role on this roster in 2025-26. Right now the Suns have Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale, another pair of marksmen from deep who could yet have some interest from rivals around the league. The best course of action for one - if not both of them - would be to move them while they still have some value.
Former Suns wing Damion Lee taking his talents overseas. #Suns pic.twitter.com/mCRgki8v5s
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) August 23, 2025
Part of that value is because they both have years left on their current deals - and if even one of them was moved on - Lee could have slid into their role and produced about the same amount of made shots from deep. In his first season in Phoenix - before missing all of the second through injury - Lee shot a scorching 44.5 percent from deep.
When you consider Allen led the entire league the next year connecting on 46.1 attempts, you can see the clear value in having Lee. Also worth noting is that aforementioned elite shooting of last season, when the Suns ranked third in the entire league in 3-point makes at 37.8 percent. For those who will point out that this was because Kevin Durant was on the roster, you're right.
But now that he's gone and with the team getting thin on creation offensively beyond Booker and Green, the importance of Lee would have increased. Even more so if one of Allen or O'Neale are traded. Instead he's off to play elsewhere, and the Suns will instead miss an elite shooter who appeared to be a brilliant locker-room guy as well. An under the radar misstep.