Former Suns Guard Signs With Turkish Team

Ricardo Klein | Nov 24, 2024

Oct 10, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Saben Lee (38) and forward Josh Okogie (2) against the Denver Nuggets during a preseason game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Former NBA guard and second-round draft pick Saben Lee has re-signed with Manisa Basket, the Turkish club for which Lee had played earlier this season.

Manisa Basket shared the news via Twitter/X on Saturday.

𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐄𝐄’𝐒 𝐁𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐂𝐊!!! 🔥🔥🔥

Welcome home, Saben Lee❤️🏠 pic.twitter.com/yc3x7laPrE

— Manisa Basket (@manisabasket94) November 23, 2024

In eight games with Maccabi, the team that recently released him, Lee averaged 12.0 points, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 steals over 19 minutes of action. His biggest highlight was making the game-winning jumper in a Round 7 victory over Real Madrid.

Lee’s place with Maccabi seemed in jeopardy after he was not used at all in the team’s road loss at EA7 Emporio Armani Milan on Thursday. After that game, head coach Oded Kattash discussed the situation.

"I am trying as much as possible despite the circumstances to build a way, to build a process. And the fact that [Lee] is not with us every day makes it very difficult. I have no complaints about him. This is what was agreed to with him. But it’s an impossible situation," Kattash said.

Shortly after this, Maccabi released Lee, who was struggling to acclimate.

Last month, Lee signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He signed a two-year contract.

Prior to his time overseas, Lee was a second-round draft pick from the University of Vanderbilt in the 2020 NBA Draft. The Utah Jazz selected Lee with the No. 38 overall pick, but he was later traded to the Detroit Pistons.

Lee signed a two-way contract with the Pistons. He spent two seasons with the Detriot team, averaging 5.6 points per game, 2.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 0.88 steals while shooting 43 percent from the field and 26 percent from three.

Prior to the 2022-23 season, Lee was traded to the Jazz with Kelly Olynyk for Bojan Bogdanović. The Jazz waived him a week after they traded for him, and he later signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Suns. After the Suns waived him, Lee then signed an Exhibit 10 days with the Toronto Raptors.

After Lee's stint with the Raptors, the Suns signed him to another 10-day contract and ultimately signed a two-way contract for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.

Prior to the 2023-24 season, Lee signed another two-way contract with the Suns.

Lee originally signed with Manisa Basket of the Basketbol Süper Ligi in late Aug. 2024. He played only one game for Manisa Basket before leaving the team.

Now, Lee is back with Manisa Basket and will look to contribute significantly.

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