Atlanta Hawks: 3 reasons Alex Len is a good addition

1. The Hawks have nothing to lose

Look, the Hawks aren’t going to be good next year. Even in a weakened Eastern Conference, no one expects the Hawks to make the playoffs, let alone compete for a title.

Rebuilding teams like the Hawks usually use this lean period to evaluate young players and determine which ones are pieces to build around. Trae Young and fellow first round pick Kevin Huerter will get plenty of chances to prove that they can carry the franchise, but they will also need to identify key supplemental players. Len could fit that bill.

After five seasons, Len is what he is: a lanky big that rebounds, defends and sets good screens. If he falls short of those standards, it wouldn’t derail the team’s future plans, since he’s only under contract for two years at a cheap rate.

If the absolute best-case scenario happens and Len somehow blossoms into an upper tier center — as unlikely as that would be — then the Hawks will have a good center at a discount price and they’ll have cap room to give him a raise in the future.

With Len signed to a short-term deal, the Hawks have something to gain and almost nothing to lose.