Alex Len is a solid but unspectacular backup center. He gets the job done, but he rarely fills you with the joy and wonder that fans and GMs crave. There’s no tantalizing upside of what Len could be, there is simply what he is. He is good. This has led to Len bouncing around the league, and even in this tenure with the Kings (the second of his career), Len has often been the failsafe option as the team tried to bring in other backups. First it was Tristan Thompson, and then it was JaVale McGee. In the end, the Kings kept coming back to Len as a reliable backup center. As we enter this season the Kings have not added another veteran backup, opting instead to sign Orlando Robinson. Robinson has that exciting upside, but is still unproven. Has Alex Len finally proven himself worthy of being the backup center from day one?
As of right now, we’d expect Len to be that backup center. And it makes sense!
Len was one of Sacramento’s most consistent and reliable players last season. Len had the team’s third-highest +/- rating, behind just De’Aaron Fox and Trey Lyles. Of players who played real minutes, Len had the best Net Rating on the team, with his 15.4 net rating being double the next closest player. Len isn’t flashy and isn’t going to rack up points or blocks. He’s not an elite rebounder either, ranking worse than Domantas Sabonis and JaVale McGee in Rebound% last year. But Len will score opportunistically, will set hard screens, and isn’t going to cause a fuss if he isn’t getting touches on offense. On defense, Len is a huge body that deters opponents from the rim even without being a shot blocker, and Len is rarely out of place.
It seems Len has finally secured that backup center role, and he deserves it.
Limited role, knows what is asked of him, and seems to be prepared every game. It’s usually 10mpg, so not a big role, but a valuable one.
I like Len. As a backup for Sabonis for a short period of time he is good. My personal problem is will he be backup if something, heaven forbid, happens to Sabonis for an extended period of time. IMO opinion we need someone like a Isiah Srewart who could also play backup power forward.
If Sabonis is out for any extended period of time, the season would most likely be lost any way.
This.
Isaiah Stewart isn’t making up for an extended loss of Domas. The Kings might be a fringe playoff team in that event, but they’re not doing any damage in the playoffs.
Adding, comparing / contrasting the two:
Stewart is 8 years younger than Len, and seems to have a developing 3 pt. shot that, combined with his agility, would make him sometime alternative to play alongside Sabonis and not just behind him. He is also due almost $13m more than Len this year as part of his new 4/$60m contract (4th yr. team option). Stewart also has a leaguewide reputation for being a tough/nasty opponent.
While Stewart can block shots, Len has the better block rate. As noted above, he is exponentially less expensive. And he knows the roster, system and his role.
If the Kings had Stewart, it would probably be at the expense of Len and Lyles, not to mention the cost of acquisition. I think the Stewart ship may have sailed the moment he signed his new deal.
Jack, do you think that naming the current player of your choice in every darned post is going to make a difference, or do you just like repetition?
Just trying to be helpful but with the idea of IMO helping imrove on the Kings roster. I am truly sorry if I come across as someone trying to be that way. Also for your information I make other comments quite a lot in other areas.PS A lot of other commentators have agreed with my opinions on trades.
When I make comments on trade ideas the players involved are not usually my favorites but ones , after a lot of research, comparisons, how they might fit,and how they might help the team now and in the long run. I do have some favorites as I think most of us do but when I involve them its for the good of the team not because I like them. I hope you can understand this. Again will these ideas really help the Kings probably not but I have fun researching and making decisions. I’ve been involved in the game of baskerball my whole life playing it from grade school thru highschool and college and afterwards in good competitively men’s league up to my late fifties and early sixties. I have coached boys and girls basketball for 48 years and have won championship and lost championships. I feel I have a good idea on what to do with most situations. I am a Kings fan as good as anyone and have been even before they were Kings in Sacramento. If for some reason you and others don’t like the way I comment on King’s Herald then let me know and I will without regret step done and cancel my name on King’s Herald with no hurt at all. GO KINGS FOREVER!!!!!
Absolutely do not cancel your name. You are one of the best commenters in here. I always enjoy reading your insight and very much appreciate your trade ideas. They are consistently the most realistic and the players you target are often times way off my radar. I take your suggestions seriously and routinely investigate guys after you have made me aware of them through your comments. Isiah Stewart being one of them.
I think Rik Smits was just jerkin your chain
My comments don’t seem to be registering. Might just be a bad internet connection. I just wrote a long comment telling you to stay. You better stay. I really enjoy your commentary
My comments don’t seem to be registering. I will try this again. You better stay!!!! I love enjoy your commentary. Very much.
You better not step down!
Jack- I know you wanted to trade me for Buddy Heild and I forgive you for that. But while I josh you about your trade ideas -Trader Jack- they are provocative and get me to the stat boards.
Some of your favorite trade targets and comments:
J. Collins- would help but the Ainge tax is too high
Z. Collins- not a needle mover and too injury prone.
I. Stewart- I do like him. Wish contract was lower. He would play a 4/5. Would this relieve pressure on getting a back up 3/4 with length? It might. Stewart may be a poor man’s N. Reid who you also liked last year.
How about a focus on the 3/4. C. Johnson, DFS, last resort Jae Crowder. I liked N. Marshall, but the Mavs pounced.
I do like Robert Williams but he really cannot stay healthy.
I wanted to echo what others have said here, Jack. You provide valuable thoughts on this site and there’s no reason for you to stop posting.
At the same time, I understand what Rik is saying, too. He’s just asking (in a not-super-diplomatic way) to reduce the repetition a little bit. Your trade proposals are well researched and achievable. If I had to guess, he values your input much like the rest of us do – it just felt like a request to vary your posts a little bit.
I’ve been impressed with Len from the start. I don’t quite understand how Mike Brown experimented with JaVale for so long last year when Len was clearly the better choice. For all of the good things that MB brings to the table, he has some serious flaws in his ability to recognize when a player isn’t a fit.
Len should be the backup center without question. He’s an excellent defender and is so consistent from night to night. I never worry about him doing stupid stuff on the court like I did with JaVale. Sure, the Kings would be in trouble if Sabonis goes down for any length of time. But are there any nightly triple double threats who wouldn’t seriously affect their teams in the event of injury? The Nuggets, Mavs, Lakers, and Bucks couldn’t adequately game plan for extended injuries to Jokic, Donkey, LeBron, or Giannis. Nobody has NBA All Stars sitting on the bench.
The Javale and Duarte playing time were odd decisions. It was clear that Javale was the lesser of the choices. Duarte played hard, but fouled too often and couldn’t hit a shot.
Well said. Giving McGee minutes over Len was a travesty.
That Net Rating seems like a pretty important stat, too! Dude may not look flashy but he makes the team better.
Giving McGee minutes over you was a travesty.
Gotta support one of the only Ukranian players in the NBA. He has some good blocks but I wish he’d knock down more midrange cause they always leave him open at the top of the key.
Why? Are you Ukranian?
Lol have you been under a rock for the past few years?
Have you been under a rock the past few years?
Lensanity!
Oleksiy “Alex” Len, the towering Terrapin was the 5th overall pick by Phoenix in the 2013 (Anthony Bennett draft – Sacramento picked 7th with the second disappointing Jayhawk in a row, Ben McLemore). At the time, he was considered a potential #1 as he had some impressive college moments against Kentucky (Nerlans Noel), and Duke (Mason Plumlee). He “dropped” to 5 behind Oladipo, Otto Porter, Jr. and Cody Zeller, and one ahead of Nerlans Noel and the Kings’ McLemore. The pick of that draft was Giannis at #13).
His career never produced at the level of a 5th overall pick, but the 31 year old (June 1993) has always been consistent, even when he was starting for the Suns or Atlanta. To me, he’s got a very similar career to Bismack Biyombo (7th pick 2011 draft, by Sac but traded on draft day for…. can you remember who, trivia fans?).
I’m going to jump on that Alex Len bandwagon: He brings his size and presence and doesn’t try and run the fast break. He doesn’t back down from anyone, and besides his blocks, he adds a touch of offense (O boards and oops) and moves the ball from the post fairly well (he ain’t Domas). He looked good in the Play-In.
He’s a solid bench big, but limited as a slow 5, low post, traditional center only. His career would have looked much better if he was around in the 70s, 80s and 90s. But he wasn’t.
This will be his 5th season as a King (Baby Giraffe trivia: On February 6, 2020, Len and Jabari Parker were traded to Sac for that sent Dewayne Dedmon walking with two second round picks. He left Sac and went to the Wizards for a season. He was then signed in the Summer of 2021 and this will be his fourth full season in Sac) wearing #25.
Len reminds me a lot of KK. A fan favorite, backup center, who was solid, brought his lunch pail to work everyday and did what was asked of him. In King’s fans minds he’s probably a much better player than the rest of the NBA thinks, but that’s perfectly fine.
Yes, he is much like the Grecian Formula as well. Biyombo, Len, KK, could throw Gorgui Dieng and Cody Zeller in there I guess. It is that player of a certain type where size and mobility both enhances and limits their narrowed skill set.
I just needed to add: There is only one Kosta!
To answer the question: I think he has secured the backup center role for the first 15 games. After that it will be determined on whether or not Robinson or someone else that is currently not on the roster begins to chip into his minutes because that player may offer some added shooting from deep or rim protection as an example that Mine brown starts experimenting with.
I think he is very under rated. Go around the league and look at back up centers. I’d pick Len over most.
as I said, every team needs a guy like Len- He has a role and it is limited. He does not need time against the duds but does against the Wolves.
Every team needs a big guy like Len. He cannot play against all opponents but helps against those with huge 4/5’s. He sets great picks and makes only a few mistakes. He is one of the value contracts on the Kings- Keegan for now, Ellis, Carter….
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