How Alex Len Is Turning Young Career Around with Phoenix Suns
There have been a number of Alex Len sightings in Phoenix over the past two weeks.
It's no hoax or mirage—Len, who nearly racked up as many personal fouls (68) as he did points (86) in 2013-14, is actually playing well 15 games into his sophomore year.
Of course, it helps to be healthy and conditioned. Len wasn't his rookie season after undergoing two offseason foot surgeries and missing over 30 games due to soreness.
“I was out of shape the whole year,” Len told ProBasketballTalk's Dan Feldman.
But knock on wood—Len hasn't experienced any setbacks, and it's finally allowed him to find his groove.
Over his last six games, Len is 24-of-33 (72.7 percent) from the floor with averages of nine points and 6.3 rebounds in 21.8 minutes.
Offensively, he's been a lot more effective at the rim, where he's shooting 70 percent compared to just 58.1 percent a year ago. And he's consistently played to his strength as a finisher by taking 67 percent of his field-goal attempts within five feet from the hoop. Last season, only 55.1 percent of his shots came at that distance.
And quite frankly, it's not as if the Suns are featuring him in the post. Len is getting buckets simply by putting himself in the right place at the right time. His usage rate is even smaller this year than it was last season.
Len recently went for back-to-back career highs of 17 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on November 15 and 19 points against the Boston Celtics on November 17. And of the 15 field goals he converted during his two-game outburst, only one of them came off an actual one-on-one move.
With 7'1" size, a 7'3.5" wingspan and fluid mobility, Len is starting to learn you that you don't need a Hakeem Olajuwon-like post game to make an impact at center. Catch-and-finishes, pick-and-rolls, putbacks, tip-ins, transition dunks—these are the high-percentage scoring opportunities Len has stuck to, and it's led to more efficiency and, in turn, more minutes and production.
Given his limited skills, it also helps having guards like Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas who can break down defenses and draw help defenders. Of Len's 28 made field goals within five feet, 64.3 percent of them have been assisted. Last year, only 48 percent of his 25 made buckets at the rim were assisted.
He's also connecting on a few more jump-shot opportunities. Len has already hit more shots outside nine feet this year (seven) than he hit all of last (five).
And while on the subject of outside touch, it's worth noting that Len is 17-of-19 from the free-throw line to start the year.
Under the boards, he's bringing in 5.2 rebounds in 19.2 minutes a game, a strong rate and reflection of the space he eats inside.
The next step, even before progressing offensively in the post, is limiting his defensive mistakes. There's no point in focusing on offense if he can't stay in the game—Len is averaging six fouls per 36 minutes after averaging 6.8 a year ago. And he's allowing opponents to shoot 59.2 percent on him within six feet of the rim.
Still, the interior presence he offers inside, along with the target he gives his guards at the offensive end, holds enough value in Phoenix, where the Suns are awfully thin up front.
Len is looking at a good opportunity here for himself. And at only 21 years old, his ceiling sits a good three floors above Miles Plumlee's, meaning the long-term starting position is really Len's to lose.
Remember, this was a kid who some believed would go No. 1 in the 2013 draft based on the upside fueled by his physical tools and room for offensive growth.
At this stage, Len just doesn't have many reps under his belt. At Maryland, he only averaged 21.2 minutes (just 22 games) as a freshman and 26.4 minutes per game as a sophomore. And we already know how little he played as a rookie last year.
Now 100 percent healthy, Len is finally getting a chance to build some rhythm, and as a result, we're seeing slow but steady progression.
He's emerged as a key member of the Suns' 2014-15 rotation while re-establishing his future value to the franchise.
Statistics courtesy of NBA.com.
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