Getty Stephen Curry and Damion Lee pose for photos following the Golden State Warriors' victory over the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals.
The Golden State Warriors will look significantly different next season following the league’s annual free-agent frenzy. In particular, the team will feature almost an entirely new bench brigade after Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr, Nemanja Bjelica, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damion Lee all found new digs.
While all of the aforementioned will be missed for various reasons, none were as embedded with the franchise as Lee.
The 29-year-old had been with Golden State dating back to its 2019 Finals season. And over the course of his four-year run in the Bay, he solidified himself as an NBA player. Not only that — Lee married into Stephen Curry’s actual family by wedding the baller’s younger sister, Sydel.
As he makes his move to the Phoenix Suns, Lee looks to be keenly aware of how important his run with the Warriors was, personally and professionally. So much so that he was prompted to show some love for the organization on his way out the door.
Lee Tweets About His Time With the Warriors
Lee experienced both the highest of highs and the lowest of lows during his time with the Dubs. Through it all, though, the 6-foot-5 wing grew as a player and enjoyed the journey. On Tuesday, he hit the tweet machine to offer his heartfelt thanks to the club that gave him career stability and a championship ring.
“These last 4 years have been nothing short of amazing! Thank you to the
@warriors organization for an unbelievable ride!” Lee tweeted, along with pictures of himself in action. “Love and appreciate y’all more than you’ll ever know!”
However, he’s clearly ready for what lies ahead after signing a one-year, vet minimum contract to ply his trade in the Valley of the Sun, too. Shortly after posting that message for his Warriors family, Lee similarly tweeted about his big career move.
“As the journey continues, I’m excited for this opportunity with the @Suns! #NoWhiteFlags #RingMe,” Lee wrote.
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Days Past
From an individual standpoint, the high-water mark for Lee’s Warriors career came during the team’s injury-plagued 2019-20 campaign. With Steph and Klay Thompson ailing, Lee found himself starting in 36 of his 49 games played. Along the way, he averaged 12.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per outing.
Although that season stands apart from the two that preceded it and the two that followed, the former Drexel and Louisville standout was largely a rotational piece from that point forward.
In 2021-22, Lee logged a 7-3-1 line in just under 20 minutes per game. However, his role was significantly reduced during postseason play.
His best effort this past season came on March 23 in a 14-point road win over the East-leading Miami Heat. With Steph and Klay taking the night off, Lee saw 31 minutes on the floor and responded to the tune of 22 points on 5-of-10 shooting (with three triples), six rebounds and three assists.
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