Alex Len: Improvements For Year Three

Over the last week, reports about Alex Len surfaced, similar to those of Brian Drew in the movie Draft Day, if you’ll allow a cross-sport, cross-genre (or perhaps cross-reality) comparison. The reports brought a bit of excitement to fans of the Phoenix Suns, especially after the team did not end up taking a big man in the NBA Draft (although they did receive 6’10” Jon Leuer in a trade for the 44th pick).

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However, things changed quite drastically on Wednesday when Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reported that Tyson Chandler would be joining the team. That brought Len’s role on the team into question, at least in the short-term. However, it is worth noting that Len averaged just 22 minutes per game last year, and it’s not like he’s unfamiliar with playing limited minutes.

For those who might want (or need) a refresher, Alex Len was selected by Phoenix with the fifth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. When Len was chosen there was a bit of controversy, as Nerlens Noel was still on the board, as was Ben McLemore; both were among the top rated prospects heading into the event.

However, sticking with the Draft Day theme, Suns general manager Ryan McDonough must have written himself a note that said “Alex Len, no matter what,” because that’s exactly the direction that the Suns went.

For a little more context, Nerlens Noel was ranked first on Chad Ford’s Top 100 for the 2013 NBA Draft; Len was slotted at sixth. Bleacher Report’s Daniel O’Brien ranked Noel as the top center in the draft; he ranked Len third.

Now, it’s worth noting that Alex Len was at the top of some draft boards. DraftExpress had him as the top prospect heading into the draft, and some felt if he weren’t injured, he would’ve been selected higher. The case was somewhat similar to how Joel Embiid fell to third in 2014 after an injury, following a meteoric rise to the top of the draft boards. However, for the Suns, draft day was just the beginning.

In year one, Len was absolutely atrocious… well… let’s just say not up to par with some of the league’s other young centers. He averaged 2.0 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, shooting just 42.3 percent from the field. Len barely played in half of the team’s games, and in the games he did play, he averaged just 8.6 minutes per outing.

Len did have a single solid game, which is both somewhat humorous and concerning to write looking back. Len played 20-or-more minutes exactly one time, and in that game, he actually looked pretty good. He racked up seven points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes, as the Suns went on to beat the Milwaukee Bucks. However, that was one flash in what was an otherwise disastrous first year, albeit one derailed by injury.

Year two was absolutely night and day for Alex Len. He became one of the better shot-blocking big men in the league, averaging right around three blocks per 40 minutes, and he actually contributed with some meaningful stat lines. Len posted 10 points and 11 rebounds in an early win against San Antonio; he went for 17 and 11 a couple of weeks later against the Clippers, and he would go on to have eight more double-doubles after that point.

Len also had six total five-block and six-block games, and his offense absolutely came around. Len managed to score five-or-more points just seven times in his rookie year; he posted six times as many performances over the next season, and almost three-times as many double-digit scoring performances as well. He also made his fair-share of highlights and wasn’t afraid to go out and get a poster on anyone.

So logically, the question to ask seems to be a simple one: Where does Len go from here?

In this post, I’ve outlined a few areas where Suns fans can expect Len to continue to improve, which should hopefully inspire a bit of confidence. I know Suns fans aren’t exactly in love with this team coming into the year (unless Phoenix locks in LaMarcus Aldridge, that is), but there are some really solid pieces in place, and if Len can improve in his third year like he did in his second, he’ll definitely turn some heads. His health may be the only thing that can hold him back.

Next: Shooting Potential