Saben Lee is set to leave Maccabi Tel Aviv after a strong EuroLeague start, with the 25-year-old guard nearing a return to Manisa Basket. A lack of alignment on his initial agreement to stay in Belgrade, combined with the ongoing war in the region, led to the decision, per sources.
After an impressive EuroLeague start, Saben Lee is on his way out of Maccabi Tel Aviv. According to BasketNews sources, the 25-year-old American guard is close to returning to Manisa Basket.
Lee is on the verge of signing a new contract with Manisa Basket, unless a EuroLeague club steps in with a late offer, sources tell BasketNews.
Lee transferred to Maccabi from Manisa in October despite reluctance to leave the Turkish club at the start of the season. The EuroLeague opportunity and Maccabi's needs were too tempting to pass up. However, when the situation in Tel Aviv didn't work out, returning to Manisa, where he felt very comfortable, became the logical choice for Lee, sources tell BasketNews.
The unexpected departure stems from a challenging situation at Maccabi.
Lee joined the team in October under the condition that he would not relocate to Israel due to the war situation, instead living and practicing in Belgrade, where Maccabi has been hosting its EuroLeague home games.
However, tensions arose as Lee felt pressured by Maccabi to move to Israel despite the initial agreement to stay in Belgrade, per sources. The club, in turn, expressed concerns that his extended absence was affecting the team's growth through practices and the overall rhythm.
According to sources, a misalignment in his initial agreement regarding Belgrade and the ongoing war in the region led to the decision to part ways.
Ultimately, this situation impacted Lee's role within the team.
Lee had a stellar EuroLeague debut, scoring 23 points and delivering a highlight-reel dunk against the back-to-back champions Anadolu Efes Istanbul.
Over his first five EuroLeague games, he averaged 15.4 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, shooting 52% from two and 42% from beyond the arc. With Saben Lee in the lineup, Maccabi secured two wins in their first five EuroLeague games against Anadolu Efes and Real Madrid.
However, his role has diminished in recent games. Over the next three games, Lee's playing time was reduced to just 13 minutes per game, limiting his impact to 6.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists. Maccabi lost all three matchups.
Lee did not play in Maccabi's most recent game, a loss to Milan on Thursday.
"It's a crazy situation. Saben is not with us daily, so it's very hard to manage the situation," Maccabi head coach Oded Kattash explained Lee's situation following the game in Italy.
"I have zero blame for Lee. He signed with us, knowing he was not supposed to come to Tel Aviv. But we thought he would change his mind seeing other players coming to Tel Aviv. But it's not his problem. It was the coach's decision not to play him. He is a great player, a great guy, and nothing to say against him. It's our decision."
Arale Weisberg of Walla Sport was the first to report Saben Lee's departure.
Lee made an immediate impact in Manisa at the start of the season. He exploded onto the Basketball Champions League scene, averaging 39.5 points on 65.7% shooting, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in his first two games. He tied the BCL single-game scoring record with a 43-point performance to lead Manisa to a win over FMP Belgrade.
Before his European stint, Lee played four seasons in the NBA, averaging 5.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists across 134 games with the Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, and Philadelphia 76ers.
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