Damion

Lee

Allen will miss a second straight game with this hamstring issue, which means more minutes for Josh Okogie and Damion Lee off the bench. Okogie went off for 25 points, eight rebounds, one assist, two steals and three 3-pointers in 28 minutes on Wednesday. Managers shouldn’t expect a repeat performance, but he could offer some value in deeper leagues.

Allen, who dealt with an Achilles issue during the preseason and now has a hamstring injury to navigate, did not play in Wednesday’s loss to the Kings. That was Phoenix’s second game in as many nights, so it was unsurprising that Allen did not play. Josh Okogie and Damion Lee will have more opportunities to contribute if he remains sidelined on Friday.

While Lee may not be guaranteed rotation minutes on opening night, Allen should be one of the Suns’ first subs off the bench. Suns coach Mike Budenholzer did not divulge a specific minutes limit for Allen, but he did say the team would be “logical” regarding the guard’s playing time. Grayson’s fantasy value will be limited while his playing time is closely monitored.

Allen practiced fully on Monday, so it isn’t surprising that he’ll likely be available for the season opener, where he’ll fill in as the team’s sixth man. Lee may have a small role off the bench, but he isn’t a player that will have much of an impact in fantasy hoops.

Allen has been sidelined for most of the preseason, but he’s hoping that it doesn’t impact the start of the regular season. He’ll fill in as the team’s sixth man after a breakout year as a starter, but he should still be a decent source of 3-pointers. If he is forced to miss the opener, Royce O’Neale and Damion Lee should see extra minutes in his place.

After missing all of last season, Lee will be back with the Suns despite declining his player option a few days ago. During the 2022-23 season, he averaged 8.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.5 triples in 20.4 minutes per game. He should play a role off the bench, but he isn’t a player that will make much of an impact in fantasy basketball.

Lee missed all of last season with a meniscus tear and will look to pursue a new deal after taking all of 2023-24 to recover from surgery. He averaged 8.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game in his lone full season with Phoenix.

Lee, who has yet to appear in a game this season after tearing the meniscus in his right knee before training camp, recently ditched the crutches. Suns coach Frank Vogel said Friday evening that the team hopes to get Lee back before the end of the regular season. Given the amount of time he’s due to miss, this will not impact fantasy basketball or the Suns’ current rotation.

Both players have yet to play during the preseason and will remain out for the preseason finale. Their status for opening night is unclear, but their absences shouldn’t impact fantasy hoops.

Lee suffered the injury just before the start of training camp, but the severity was not made public. Wednesday’s update revealed that he suffered a full tear and remains out indefinitely. Lee’s absence won’t significantly impact fantasy basketball, as he was likely going to be behind reserve wings such as Grayson Allen and Nassir Little, even if he were healthy enough to play.