The Phoenix Suns haven’t made significant improvements this offseason.
They lost some key reserve players, and switching Frank Vogel for Mike Budenholzer may not be the best move right now. However, with their tight salary cap situation, they weren’t able to bring in many, if any, new reinforcements.
As a result, they’re hoping for internal development.
John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix reports that the Suns are counting on Damion Lee to step up next season (via Evan Sidery). They expect him to fill the role left by Eric Gordon, who recently joined the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Suns want Lee to come off the bench and provide shot-making and floor-spacing like Gordon. Despite missing the entire previous season with a torn meniscus, he shot nearly 45% from beyond the arc in the 2022-23 season with them.
Lee is one of the most efficient three-point shooters in the game, but his potential impact next season could go beyond shooting.
Budenholzer’s team is in need of a point guard, as neither of their stars are pass-first players or true playmakers, so Lee might handle the ball more often than earlier in his career.
This Suns team has some glaring needs and obvious flaws that could have been addressed in the offseason, and they might face the consequences for that by the end of the season.