The Phoenix Suns had a hometown kid on their 2022-23 roster. Saben Lee played at Tempe (Ariz.) Corona Del Sol and starred with the team before he played college basketball at Vanderbilt.

Lee, who is 24 years old, played sparingly for the Suns last season. However, he had a career-best 25 points in the team's regular-season finale versus the Los Angeles Clippers in which he showed off his athleticism and relentless mindset.

The Suns announced earlier this month they signed Lee to a two-way contract.

“Saben plays with toughness and aggression on both ends of the court,” Suns president of basketball operations and general manager James Jones said in a statement. “His point guard instincts and ability to attack the rim are critical traits for us as we seek to build a better team.

Here is a recap of Lee's 2022-23 campaign in Phoenix.

What he did well

Lee was a four-star prospect out of high school. He committed to play at Vanderbilt, where he was coached by NBA veteran Jerry Stackhouse.

Saben Lee was a second-team All-SEC selection in 2020, when he averaged a career-best 18.6 points on 48.3 percent shooting, 4.2 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. Lee improved in his seasons with the Commodores and declared for the 2020 draft.

He was selected by the Utah Jazz but was subsequently traded to the Detroit Pistons. He played 48 games with Detroit in 2020-21 and later played with the Philadelphia 76ers before he signed a two-way contract with the Suns in January.

Lee played in 23 games for Phoenix and averaged a career-best 6.3 points per game. He will not be a player the Suns can count on at point guard, where they are reported to start Bradley Beal, for significant minutes.

However, he is a competitive player who will give his best in practice and training camp. Lee was aggressive in practices observed by the media and looked to attack the paint constantly in 3-on-3 games.

In the regular season finale, he took the most of his opportunity. He started and had no fear on the court, shooting 21 shots. He also had 10 assists in the game and two steals against a Clippers team that was at full strength.

Former Suns coach Monty Williams was impressed with Lee's game and said it was not a surprise. He can provide competition at practice, something that should impress coach Frank Vogel.

Expectations

The Suns are thin at point guard. They will start Beal or Devin Booker at the position unless they trade for another player. Jordan Goodwin, who the Suns acquired in their trade with the Washington Wizards for Bradley Beal, is expected to be the team's backup point guard.

Lee will provide a competitive playstyle but should not see more time than that. The Suns are competing for a championship, and even though Lee has promise and can be a good presence on the floor, Phoenix has an elite team and will be expected to beat teams every single night. They need their best players on the floor to do that and can't count on Lee unless he significantly develops his game.