Inside The Suns

Suns Sharpshooter Declines Player Option

Phoenix Suns guard Damion Lee will decline his player option and hit free agency.

Donnie Druin

Apr 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Damion Lee, left, sprays his teammate Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) with water after the Suns defeated the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Damion Lee, left, sprays his teammate Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) with water after the Suns defeated the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports / Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports
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PHOENIX -- Phoenix Suns shooting guard Damion Lee is reportedly declining his player option with the organization ahead of the start of free agency tomorrow, per HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.

Lee's option was for $2.85 million in 2024-25, and now he'll be an unrestricted free agent.

Lee did not play for Phoenix during the 2023-24 season, as the Suns saw the guard tear his meniscus in training camp. There was hope he would eventually return to action in a late postseason push, though Phoenix was swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of playoff action.

Lee - set to turn 32 in October - signed with the Suns in 2022 after winning the NBA Finals with the Golden State Warriors.

Statistically speaking, a healthy Lee was one of the NBA's top three-point shooters after converting 44.5% of looks from downtown in the 2022-23 season.

Phoenix was potentially hoping to see Lee back in the fold after losing shooting guard Eric Gordon (another notable three-point shooter) to free agency after he declined his player option. Lee, Gordon, Josh Okogie and Drew Eubanks all declined their options to hit the open market.

According to PHNX's Gerald Bourguet, it's expected Lee and Okogie return to Phoenix's roster.

We'll see what ultimately happens with Lee, though another player is set to officially be off the roster once the ball gets rolling in free agency.

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Donnie Druin

DONNIE DRUIN

Donnie Druin is the Publisher for All Cardinals and Inside The Suns. Donnie moved to Arizona in 2012 and has been with Fan Nation since 2018. In college he won "Best Sports Column" in the state of Arizona for his section and has previously provided coverage for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona State Sun Devils. Follow Donnie on Twitter @DonnieDruin for more news, updates, analysis and more!

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