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What should the Phoenix Suns do with Alex Len’s restricted free agency?

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 17, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns center Alex Len (21) runs up the court in the first half of the NBA game against the Orlando Magic at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns center Alex Len (21) runs up the court in the first half of the NBA game against the Orlando Magic at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 26, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Phoenix Suns center Alex Len (21) misses a dunk during the first period against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

Final verdict

Alan Williams, a third string center, outplayed Alex Len and stole a large chunk of his minutes after Tyson Chandler was shut down for the season. The Suns might even have long-term replacements for Len already with Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss.

The biggest question now is whether the Suns still believe Len can live up to his billing as a starting-caliber center in this league.

"“I believe so,” Chandler said. “I think Alex also has some things this summer he has to work on. Being real dominant down there in that post. He’s a completely different player than I am. I think his game is more get down on the block, left shoulder, right shoulder hooks and being able to demand a double-team. That’s where he’s gonna see his best days is down there and being one of those throwback bigs.”"

Again, that’s not exactly an encouraging forecast as the NBA dives further and further into a small-ball, pace-and-space league where size is secondary to positional versatility and three-point shooting.

The Suns experimented with Len shooting threes, particularly from the corner, but if their focus is simplifying the game for him, that kind of reach-for-the-stars development will once again take a backseat.

"“It’s just the way the NBA’s going: small,” Watson said in early February when asked about Len’s dwindling minutes. “If you start a seven-footer in the first unit, you really don’t have one to back up.”"

With Len still unable to switch pick-and-rolls to defend the perimeter, his decent rim protection and ho-hum rebounding numbers are hardly encouraging.

His supposed “touch” and “improved strength” have only resulted in middling efficiency around the basket and a midrange shot that is as ineffective as ever. If Len is a post-up player, the Suns are in trouble. If Len is meant to spread the floor with a midrange shot, the Suns are still in trouble.

Phoenix Suns
Alex Len’s 2016-17 NBA shot chart, per NBA.com/stats /

Even though he doesn’t turn 24 until June and has been hampered by injuries, Len’s lack of significant progress this season is not the kind of player you waste future cap space on, especially with T.J. Warren eligible for a contract extension, Alan Williams available on the cheap and future deals for Booker, Chriss, Bender, Ulis and this year’s first round draft pick to worry about down the road.

The Suns are trying to assemble a championship core. Len is not as bad as he’s made out to be, but he’s still a below-average center in this league, regardless of which teammates he’s sharing the floor with. He may not be durable enough to even be a starter in this league, never playing more than 23.3 minutes per game in a single season.

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Phoenix squandered an opportunity to really get a feel for what his role in this rebuild might be, but even with a lack of minutes, what Len did show this season wasn’t enough to warrant matching the kind of offer he may receive as a restricted free agent this summer.

Ideally, there’s very little interest in Len around the league and the Suns are able to start him for the entire 2017-18 season on his $4.2 million qualifying offer, giving them the ability to postpone a contract extension another year, when they’ll be able to more properly gauge his fit with this core for the long haul.

Even something like a four-year, $48 million deal wouldn’t be the end of the world if the Suns can move what left of Tyson Chandler’s deal and finally find a taker for Brandon Knight. Don’t forget, by 2018-19, in the last year of Chandler and Knight’s deals, the Suns still only project to have $52.7 million on the books.

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However, that cap space can fill up rather quickly with a Len, Warren and/or Williams extension this summer, even if Chandler and Knight are traded. Outside of an extremely team-friendly extension for Alex Len, a cheaper alternative like re-signing Alan Williams is the smarter choice.