SAN FRANCISCO -- Warriors guard Damion Lee never has taken the easiest path.
In college, he tore ligaments in his knee and fractured bones in hands, while playing for two universities. After going undrafted in 2016, he has played in basketball purgatory, spending most of his career in the NBA's G League, never playing more than three consecutive months in the league he covets.
At the moment, those struggles are paying off, as Golden State currently is in talks to convert his two-way deal into a multiyear contract, providing a chance to be a long-term piece for the Warriors.
"I mean, it'd be huge," Lee said following Wednesday's shootaround. "Obviously whatever happens ... I feel like I'm just starting to figure out who I am and what I can bring to a team. So just taking it and obviously turning it into more years."
Lee's current circumstance is the result of his production of late. In his last 10 games, he's averaging 14.6 points and 7.5 rebounds in 31 minutes. Last week, he scored 22 points, adding a career-high 15 rebounds in a win over the Rockets.
His production presented a conundrum for the Warriors. Under his two-way deal, Lee only was allocated 45 days in the NBA. But his current output -- combined with Golden State's hard cap troubles -- forced the team to waive Marquese Chriss in order to keep Lee.
Words are a common method of telling one's story. Lee's is written in scars. As Lee held a mic to speak on his success Wednesday morning, a large sewn-up wound, suffered nearly five years ago, provided a peek into Lee's past. While a redshirt junior at Drexel University, he fractured his hand after a defender swatted his hand, forcing season-ending surgery.
The scar on his hand matches the one on his knee, caused by an ACL tear in 2013 -- prompting the first surgery of his life.
When he wasn't suffering injuries, Lee was catching bad luck. After a successful recovery, he transferred to the University of Louisville for a chance to reach the NCAA tournament. Except after a recruiting scandal, the school imposed a one-year postseason ban. After going undrafted, he had G League stints with the Maine Red Claws and Santa Cruz Warriors.
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Prior to last season, Lee signed a two-way deal with the Warriors. Four months ago, he signed another, prompting this season's performance. Now, with his first multi-year deal on the horizon, he's ready for his next challenge.
"Everybody has their own story and has their own way of going about life," he said. "And some people get it early and some people get it late. It's just a matter of when you get it, what you do with it."
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