Suns guard/forward Damion Lee underwent successful surgery on Wednesday to repair the meniscus in his right knee, the team announced (Twitter link via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic).
According to Phoenix, updates on Lee’s recovery timeline “will be provided as appropriate.”
Lee, who turns 31 next week, was injured at the Suns’ practice facility a couple weeks ago and ruled out indefinitely. The swingman re-signed with Phoenix as a free agent this summer, inking a two-year, minimum-salary deal that includes a player option.
In 2022/23, Lee averaged 8.2 PPG and 3.0 RPG on .442/.445/.904 shooting in 74 regular season contests (20.4 MPG) with the Suns. The six-year veteran has also played for the Hawks and Warriors, winning a championship with Golden State in ’21/22.
It’s a tough setback for Lee, but being on a guaranteed two-year contract likely means his spot on the roster is safe. The Suns are currently carrying 17 players on standard contracts, so they’re facing a roster crunch. Previous reports from Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports indicated that Keon Johnson and Ish Wainright may be on the chopping block.
In other Suns injury news, Wainright continues to be hampered by a right calf strain and has been ruled out for Thursday’s preseason game against Portland. Jordan Goodwin, meanwhile, was a full practice participant on Wednesday and has been upgraded to probable vs. the Blazers (Twitter links via Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports). Goodwin has been battling right hamstring tightness.
Best of luck with the surgery Damion – hope to see you back on the court soon