DNP Streak Continues! Just How Bad Has Alex Len Been for the Lakers?

The Lakers’ Gamble on Len—A Failed Experiment?

When the Los Angeles Lakers failed to land Mark Williams at the trade deadline, they acted fast in the free-agent market. Christian Wood was waived, and in his place, they signed veteran big man Alex Len, who had just been bought out by the Sacramento Kings.

At the time, it seemed like a logical move. With Anthony Davis needing frontcourt support, the Lakers looked to the market and found Len as one of the best available options. Plus, with LeBron James and Luka Dončić as playmakers, there was a belief that Len might still have something left in the tank.

Turns out, he didn’t.

Through seven games with the Lakers, Len has been nothing short of a disaster:

• 12.1 MPG

• 1.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 0.9 APG

• 36.4% FG, 33.3% at the rim (!)

• Unplayable on both ends of the floor

Let’s break it down.

Why Has Len Been So Bad?

1. Offensive Liability

In theory, having elite passers like LeBron and Luka should have made things easy for Len. After all, finishing lobs and putbacks doesn’t require elite skill—just size, timing, and positioning.

But even with that minimal offensive responsibility, Len couldn’t deliver.

• He struggled to get to the right spots.

• He couldn’t finish easy looks.

• He barely attempted shots at the rim.

In seven games, Len took just six shots at the basket—and made only two. That’s a 33.3% conversion rate in the most high-efficiency zone. To make it worse, two of those six shots were outright blocked.

For a 7’2” center, that’s inexcusable.

Even if you don’t expect Len to create offense, he should at least be able to “eat” off lobs and putbacks. But his lack of touch, slow reaction time, and inability to find the right angles made him completely ineffective.

2. Defensive Disaster

If Len’s offense was bad, his defense was somehow worse.

At a bare minimum, a backup big man should provide:

• Rebounding

• Rim protection

• Basic pick-and-roll coverage

Len failed in all three areas.

Rebounding

Len’s rebounding numbers were shockingly low for a seven-footer:

• Per 36 minutes: 8.0 rebounds (mediocre)

• Foul rate per 36: 4.7 fouls (worse than his rebounding)

Not only did he struggle to box out, but his reaction time was painfully slow. It often seemed like he wasn’t even aware a shot had gone up until the ball had already been secured by an opponent.

Rim Protection & Defensive Impact

For a traditional big man, the bare minimum expectation is that they can protect the paint.

Len, however, couldn’t even do that.

• When opponents shot against Len, their field goal percentage actually improved by 0.3%.

• From beyond the arc, opponents shot 9.3% better (!) when guarded by Len.

• Inside 10 feet, Len barely altered shots—his “rim deterrence” effect was just 1.7%.

For context: elite rim protectors lower opponents’ efficiency by at least 5-10% in the paint. Len wasn’t just ineffective—he was making opponents more comfortable.

The Lakers Are Simply Better Without Him

If Len’s on-court struggles weren’t bad enough, the team-wide impact was even worse.

The Lakers’ defensive collapse when Len plays:

• With Len on the court: The Lakers allow 126.3 points per 100 possessions, getting outscored by 14.2 points per 100 possessions.

• With Len off the court: The Lakers allow just 108.1 points per 100 possessions and outscore opponents by 5.6 points per 100 possessions.

The results? The Lakers lost five of the seven games Len played in.

And it didn’t go unnoticed.

During a Lakers broadcast, former NBA sharpshooter Reggie Miller bluntly stated:

"Len can't defend anyone, he has no scoring ability, and he can't rebound. The Lakers need to go small instead of playing him."

The final nail in the coffin came when Jaxson Hayes returned from injury.

Immediately, Len was benched (DNP) for two straight games. The difference between Hayes and Len was night and day:

Hayes immediately made an impact, putting up 19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists against Phoenix, followed by 9 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists against San Antonio.

The Lakers clearly noticed the difference, as Len hasn’t touched the floor since.

What’s Next for Len?

At this point, his Lakers career is likely over.

The team is heading into the final stretch of the season and preparing for the playoffs, meaning they need every roster spot to contribute. Len, unfortunately, has done the opposite.

There’s already speculation that the Lakers could cut him soon and convert either Goodwin or Jamison to a full contract.

Even if they keep him, it’s doubtful he’ll ever play meaningful minutes again.

Did Len Make a Mistake Choosing the Lakers?

After getting waived by Sacramento, Len actually had interest from another team: the Indiana Pacers.

Had he signed there, he would have played with Tyrese Haliburton, another elite playmaker who has revived multiple big men’s careers.

But he chose the Lakers instead.

Would things have been different in Indiana? Maybe. But given how poor he’s looked, even Haliburton probably couldn’t have saved him.

Is This the End of Len’s NBA Career?

Len is only 31 years old, theoretically still in his prime. But his athletic decline has been drastic, and at times, he moves more like a 40-year-old veteran.

If the Lakers continue to DNP him, this could be it.

His last NBA game might already be behind him.