While the Golden State Warriors still have a string of free agency moves to make once Jonathan Kuminga's situation is resolved, many of the league's rosters are at or almost near completion nearing the end of August.
As a result of the overwhelming talent now in the league, many players are having to head overseas to continue their career. That's now become the case for former Warrior guard Damion Lee, with the 2022 NBA champion signing with Israeli team Ironi Ness Ziona.
Former Warrior Damion Lee has found himself out of the NBA
As much as this may be a surprise new team for Lee, his departure from the NBA isn't particularly shocking after a couple of injury-plagued years with the Phoenix Suns where he appeared in just 25 games.
The brother-in-law of Golden State superstar Stephen Curry, Lee made a name for himself in the league as a rare positive of a horrid 2019-20 season for the Warriors. He averaged 29 minutes per game and made 36 starts, posting a career-high 12.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists on 35.6% 3-point shooting.
Lee's role reduced once Golden State bounced back as a team over the next two years, but he still averaged 19.9 minutes during the triumphant 2021-22 season where he became an NBA champion for the first time.
That was far from Lee's only highlight across his Warrior career, having produced a memorable game-winner in a high-scoring game against the Chicago Bulls early in the 2020-21 season.
Damion Lee Game Winner vs Chicago | 2020. pic.twitter.com/mCECUOCdQ8
— The Cardiac Cardinal (@_Cardiac_Card) December 22, 2024
After signing a two-year, $5.4 million contract with the Suns in the 2022 offseason, Lee instantly earned love from those in Phoenix with 11 fourth-quarter points and the game-winner in an opening night victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
He would go on to average 8.2 points and 3.0 rebounds on a career-high 44.5% 3-point shooting in 74 games that season, solidifying himself as a valuable rotation piece on a veteran team.
Unfortunately things would take a brutal turn for the worst after Lee suffered a meniscus tear during training camp in 2023. He would miss the entire year through injury, then appeared in only 25 games for the Suns last season where he averaged just 5.8 minutes and shot 24.3% from 3-point range.
There's a good chance Lee would still be in the league if not for the disappointing injury blow, but alas this is his reality as he hopes his new team can now provide an opportunity to recoup his value and earn another NBA contract in the future.