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Alex Len, Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly signed 7-foot big man Alex Len. The 31-year-old big man has spent the past four seasons with the Sacramento Kings. He was part of a three-team trade that sent Marcus Smart from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Washington Wizards. Washington waived Len shortly after the deal.
Len has played in 36 games this season, averaging 1.4 points and 1.8 rebounds. The Lakers have reportedly waived Christian Wood to create the necessary roster space for the deal to go through.
Los Angeles had been on the lookout for a new big man after rescinding their trade offer for Mark Williams. Len doesn’t provide the rim-running the Charlotte Hornets big man would have given the roster, but his size and physicality will be a significant boost for JJ Redick’s team.
The Lakers now have Jaxson Hayes and Len as their two positional centers. Still, there may be some concern regarding Len’s lack of postseason experience. He’s made just seven playoff appearances in his 12-year NBA career. Nevertheless, the Lakers have the talent to ensure he’s protected if teams look to attack him off the dribble, as they do with most drop-coverage big men.
The Lakers Moved Fast to Fill Their Void
The Lakers rescinded the Williams trade on Feb. 9. On Feb. 11, ESPN’s Shams Charania predicted the Lakers would acquire a big man within 24-48 hours. Rob Pelinka then proved Charania to be correct, adding Len just hours after his initial report.
“I’m told the Lakers are pursuing multiple big men in the market place right now,” Charania said. “They know they need some size. Jaxson Hayes right now is their only positional center. I would expect the Lakers to move on a big man in the next 24-48 hours. They’re working, Rob Pelinka and that front office are trying to acquire a center…Getting another big man there is of the utmost priority for the Lakers.”
Now they have two bigs on the roster; the Lakers can turn their attention toward the postseason. The duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic will be more than capable of carrying a heavy offensive load. Len will likely be tasked with controlling the glass and protecting the rim.
Lakers Luka Doncic Sees Potential in Roster
Doncic made his Lakers debut on Monday, Feb. 10. He played 23 minutes, scoring 14 points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out four assists. Unfortunately for Doncic, his shot wasn’t at its best, as he went 5-of-14 during the Lakers’ 132-113 demolition of the Utah Jazz.
When speaking to the media as part of his postgame news conference, Doncic shared his first impressions of the Lakers roster.
“Very dangerous,” Doncic said. “I think the ball was moving very well on the offensive and I think we can lock down a lot of players.”
Now that Pelinka has solved the depth issue at center, the Lakers can begin building some chemistry ahead of what could potentially be a deep postseason run. Len is unlikely to be a long-term solution for the franchise. However, he plugs a clear gap until the summer when Pelinka has more freedom to explore his options. Until then, Redick has LeBron and Doncic to lead the charge, and that should be more than enough for a deep playoff run.