Len Isn’t Ready
Alex Len is going onto his third season in the league, but thanks to ankle surgery his rookie year and a broken finger last offseason, this was the first Summer League he got to play more than a game in.
With Len doing things like this last season, you expected to see him dominate in this setting. Yet, after a 17-point, 8-rebound, 3-block opener, Len was decidedly mediocre, shooting just 44 percent from the floor while averaging under 11 points a game for his five-game summer season.
Sure he did his job on the glass, averaging just a tick under 10 rebounds a game and recording multiple tip-outs on loose balls seemingly every night, but Len never got his offense on track over the final four games.
Despite being bigger and frankly more talented than every center he went up against, Len failed to assert himself in the post and way too often ended up settling for tough jump hooks or contested short jumpers.
Much was made about Len possibly adding a three point shot to his repertoire this offseason, but shouldn’t he figure out how to be effective in the post before that stuff is even talked about?
To be totally fair, Len was effective on defense (averaging 2.2 blocks per game), and Summer League is rarely a great setting for centers to show off their talents, as bigs are often playing with guards who are unable or unwilling to get them the ball. That being said, Len’s offensive performance was far from encouraging.
With Tyson Chandler coming in, the pressure’s off Len to play 30 strong minutes a night on a playoff contender, but his development is still absolutely essential to Phoenix’s future.
Outside of T.J. Warren (and a lot of people would put Len first on this list), Len represents the best shot this team has at a star going forward and it’s time he starts playing like it for more than a game at a time.
Next: The Plan Is Coming Together