Alex Len

[JMac1]

Love it. Len was always concerned about losing his agility and wanting to expand his game. That ship has sailed. Alex is a true big. Be strong, rebound, protect the rim, finish, hit your free throws.

I would like to re-sign him if we can deal Tyson. We don't need more than one true non-Saucy center (and Alan should get more minutes than whomever of the two we keep).

Yea. Let Len and Sauce get all of the mins, except when we go small. Ease Bender into that five or Chriss.

Use Len when appropriate for defensive purposes. Otherwise, Alan gets most of the C minutes. To the extent that Bender can steal more than 5-10 minutes a night from Alan at center, you unleash the Dragan.

I like Len more than Willams at this point in time.

[Bogyo]

Yea. Let Len and Sauce get all of the mins, except when we go small. Ease Bender into that five or Chriss.

Use Len when appropriate for defensive purposes. Otherwise, Alan gets most of the C minutes. To the extent that Bender can steal more than 5-10 minutes a night from Alan at center, you unleash the Dragan.

I like Len more than Willams at this point in time.

Same here - while I do love what Sauce brings to the team as well. But in basketball height and athletic ability and strenght still does matter, no matter how you slice it. Yes, there are players from time to time who defy those odds, but they are just outliers. Mougsy, IT, Draymond are not the norm, and never will be as much as Geroghe Mureshan or Manute Bol will not be.

So give Len a normal, 3-4 year contract (team option on the last, or last 2 years), and watch him develop into an OK starting center, much like RoLo became after he left us. He will not play more than 25 minutes anyways in this age of the NBA, so I don't even care if he picks up 5 fouls during that time. Sauce/Bender/Chriss can/will/should take care the rest of the minutes.

[phrazbit]

The only player with worse splits than Len on this team was Knight.

He is clueless on offense. Hands of bricks, zero range, not remotely a threat in the pick and roll. Our offensive productivity absolutely nose dives with him on the court. And sadly, despite his decent ability to protect the rim, he does not make a defensive impact either. We're actually worse defensively with him out there, because he cannot defend away from the rim, he has a habit of getting lost on and he is a fouling machine.

I'm not saying he has no hope of ever being useful, but the Len we've seen is literally below replacement level. We could lose him and sign some stiff for the league minimum and not miss a beat.

And Alan Williams was unquestionably more of a positive impact than Len during his minutes, the comparison isn't even close. Same with Chandler.

If this was the early 2000s or late 90s then Len would be of some use, but in this modern, court spreading, fast paced league, a lumbering big with terrible hands, no offensive skills at all and who risks fouling out within 25 minutes is basically useless.

[Saberestar]

Anyone knows why Len is not with his national team preparing the Eurobasket?

I have seen that they have Kravtsov (Suns legend) and Fesenko (Jazz legend) and other big guys to play C, so I don't know if he has not been selected or if he has refused to play for them.

I know that is not a big deal, but I am curious about it.

[Bogyo]

Anyone knows why Len is not with his national team preparing the Eurobasket?

I have seen that they have Kravtsov (Suns legend) and Fesenko (Jazz legend) and other big guys to play C, so I don't know if he has not been selected or if he has refused to play for them.

I know that is not a big deal, but I am curious about it.

Not sure, but it could be a contract thing. He might not want to risk injury while not signed to a new deal.

[LukasBMW]

At this point I either see him taking a "Sauce style deal" or the QO.

I'm good with both.

[nevetsov]

Waiting for a realgm headline "Alex Len accepts multiyear deal in China"

[Fo-Real]

There has been no word on Alex working out with teammates, or with an established big guru like Hakeem or anything. Is he just sitting at home pouting or what?

[LukasBMW]

There has been no word on Alex working out with teammates, or with an established big guru like Hakeem or anything. Is he just sitting at home pouting or what?

Someone posted a photo of him training with a private trainer.

It makes sense. Probably doesn't want to hurt himself so he's not playing in scrimmages or other games. He's probably just doing low risk personal training stuff until he signs.

I doubt he goes to China. He'll land somewhere in the NBA. I'm predicting he signs with us. 3 years $15 million, with the last year being a team option.

[Fo-Real]

You know, old man Ty Chandler being still useful and Allen Williams being such a hard worker slash crowd favorite has really hurt Lens value to this team. Well, those things and his actual play on the court I mean.

[bwgood77]

There has been no word on Alex working out with teammates, or with an established big guru like Hakeem or anything. Is he just sitting at home pouting or what?

Someone posted a photo of him training with a private trainer.

It makes sense. Probably doesn't want to hurt himself so he's not playing in scrimmages or other games. He's probably just doing low risk personal training stuff until he signs.

I doubt he goes to China. He'll land somewhere in the NBA. I'm predicting he signs with us. 3 years $15 million, with the last year being a team option.

Can he even go to China? Isn't he under contract with us unless he gets an offer sheet with someone else that we don't match? I thought the deadline to withdraw the QO was well past.

[Saberestar]

October 1st isn't very far away and if a restricted free agent doesn't sign his qualifying offer by then that QO will expire. That means the player will still be restricted but will no longer have the option of accepting the QO.

For the Suns that means they will still have the right to match any offer another team makes Alex Len but unless that happens Len could possibly have no contract (and no paychecks) at the beginning of the upcoming season if he doesn’t accept that qualifying offer by Oct. 1.

The Suns do have the option of extending the QO up to March 1st but teams rarely do that and so far there hasn’t been even a rumor of another team being interested in extending him an offer sheet.

Len isn't the only RFA in this boat as fellow RFAs JaMychal Green (Memphis), Nikola Mirotic (Chicago), Nerlens Noel (Dallas) and Mason Plumlee (Denver) also drew no offer sheets from other NBA teams and have not yet signed their QOs.

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/platform/amp/2017/8/16/16158412/alex-len-has-six-weeks-to-sign-his-qualifying-offer-phoenix-suns-nba

[bigfoot]

Of any top 5 draft pick the Suns have ever made I think Alex Len may be the worst.

Bender 4
Jackson 4
Len 5
Armen Gilliam 2
Walter Davis 5
Alvin Adams 4
Jon Shumate 4
Corky Calhoun 4
Neal Walk 2

[lilfishi22]

Hard to argue against that

[bigfoot]

Of any top 5 draft pick the Suns have ever made I think Alex Len may be the worst.

Bender 4
Jackson 4
Len 5
Armen Gilliam 2
Walter Davis 5
Alvin Adams 4
Jon Shumate 4
Corky Calhoun 4
Neal Walk 2

For the tanking fans (cough) out there it's 2 out of 7 chance of getting a good-great players (Adams - 1 all star appearance / Davis 6 - all star appearances). Damn I hope both Bender and Jackson pan out.

[AtheJ415]

Of any top 5 draft pick the Suns have ever made I think Alex Len may be the worst.

Bender 4
Jackson 4
Len 5
Armen Gilliam 2
Walter Davis 5
Alvin Adams 4
Jon Shumate 4
Corky Calhoun 4
Neal Walk 2

For the tanking fans (cough) out there it's 2 out of 7 chance of getting a good-great players (Adams - 1 all star appearance / Davis 6 - all star appearances). Damn I hope both Bender and Jackson pan out.

Good point. That's why it's a much better deal to rebuild via trade by trading the youngsters for rising stars like Brandon Knight.

[lilfishi22]

Of any top 5 draft pick the Suns have ever made I think Alex Len may be the worst.

Bender 4
Jackson 4
Len 5
Armen Gilliam 2
Walter Davis 5
Alvin Adams 4
Jon Shumate 4
Corky Calhoun 4
Neal Walk 2

For the tanking fans (cough) out there it's 2 out of 7 chance of getting a good-great players (Adams - 1 all star appearance / Davis 6 - all star appearances). Damn I hope both Bender and Jackson pan out.

Good point. That's why it's a much better deal to rebuild via trade by trading the youngsters for rising stars like Brandon Knight.

Or a certified all-star like Kyrie Irving.

[AtheJ415]

For the tanking fans (cough) out there it's 2 out of 7 chance of getting a good-great players (Adams - 1 all star appearance / Davis 6 - all star appearances). Damn I hope both Bender and Jackson pan out.

Good point. That's why it's a much better deal to rebuild via trade by trading the youngsters for rising stars like Brandon Knight.

Or a certified all-star like Kyrie Irving.

Exactly. Trading for soon-to-be FA's is also a guaranteed road to success. That worked out super well for LA with Dwight.

[TOO]

Good point. That's why it's a much better deal to rebuild via trade by trading the youngsters for rising stars like Brandon Knight.

Or a certified all-star like Kyrie Irving.

Exactly. Trading for soon-to-be FA's is also a guaranteed road to success. That worked out super well for LA with Dwight.

Dwight was also a super douche. There is no best way to build a team, it takes a ton of luck, players being in the right place at the right time, having the right coach, etc.. You can draft high every year, doesn't mean you'll be a success. Free agency/trades are also hit or miss.

[bigfoot]

Or a certified all-star like Kyrie Irving.

Exactly. Trading for soon-to-be FA's is also a guaranteed road to success. That worked out super well for LA with Dwight.

Dwight was also a super douche. There is no best way to build a team, it takes a ton of luck, players being in the right place at the right time, having the right coach, etc.. You can draft high every year, doesn't mean you'll be a success. Free agency/trades are also hit or miss.

Seems like we do much better drafting out out of the top 5.

Booker 13
Warren 14
Marion 9
Stoudemire 9
Nash 15
Finley 21
Majerle 14
Nance 20