After Alex Len failed to live up to the hype surrounding him coming into the league, the Atlanta Hawks took a chance on him see if he can develop into the player so many people imagined him to be.
The Atlanta Hawks signed center Alex Len to a two-year deal this offseason, finally breaking him free from the team that drafted him.
Len spent the past five years with the Phoenix Suns, posting career averages of 7.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 0.8 assists per game. Last season, the 7’1’’ center averaged 8.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 0.9 blocks and 1.2 assists in 69 games with 13 starts.
There was not a realistic role for Len on the Suns this upcoming season, which ultimately caused him to leave the team in free agency. The Hawks, though, have plenty of minutes to go around for a big man, especially if Dewayne Dedmon misses time due to an ankle injury suffered in August.
Len is both a crafty and forceful finisher at the rim and plays respectable defense in the paint. If he really starts to come into his own, this could wind up being one of the bigger steals of the 2018 free agency period. In a league where big men are evolving and even becoming obsolete in some cases, this is a chance for Alex Len to make an impact on a team that desperately needs a difference-maker.