Advertisement - scroll for more content
Alex Len Rumors
With the deadline passed, Pelinka couldn't put together another trade with the same assets, so L.A. signed 7-footer Alex Len off the waiver wire. Len, sources said, was already waiting in an Indianapolis hotel to sign with the Pacers after being released by the Sacramento Kings but was enticed by the chance to play with James, Doncic and the Lakers and changed course.
Khobi Price: When asked why two-way big men Trey Jemison or Christian Koloko weren't converted to standard contracts in light of Alex Len's lack of playing time, Rob Pelinka said LAL thought Alex was a "good player who deserved to be on our roster," and JJ Redick makes the decision who plays.
Los Angeles Lakers fans received surprising news regarding Alex Len and Cam Reddish on Saturday morning. X account Legion Hoops shared an alleged report from Lakers insider Jovan Buha, which suggests the purple and gold were planning to cut Len, whom they signed after the trade deadline, and Reddish. Hours later, Buha cleared up the situation, stating that he never said such a thing about Len and Reddish.
Freeing up the other spot is trickier. L.A. signed 7-footer Alex Len to its final roster spot last month, and Len turned down interest from the Indiana Pacers to come, sources told ESPN. Thus far, he has been used sparingly by Redick, with the coach turning to Jemison in backup center minutes behind Jaxson Hayes during L.A.'s recent eight-game winning streak.
L.A. signed 7-footer Alex Len to its final roster spot last month, and Len turned down interest from the Indiana Pacers to come, sources told ESPN. Thus far, he has been used sparingly by Redick, with the coach turning to Jemison in backup center minutes behind Jaxson Hayes during L.A.'s recent eight-game winning streak. A source with knowledge of the Lakers' thinking told ESPN that having to make decisions about the back end of the roster because the two-way players are standing out is a "good problem to have" and said L.A. would not be in any rush to make a change, using the final weeks of the regular season to continue to gather data points on every player involved.
Advertisement
Despite averaging just 0.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.6 minutes per game across five appearances, the LA Lakers have yet to waive him. According to The Athletic's Jovan Buha, there are three main reasons for this. "One, I do think there's an element of the Lakers just don't want to admit they made the mistake yet," Buha noted on his latest podcast. "Two, I don't think there's a better alternative right now. ... Maybe they would just cut line, but right now, if there was like this great option on in free agency, I think they would go for that, but I think for now they're just kind of riding that out. "Then three, I think the thing is they're just gonna wave him at the end of the season," Buha went on to say. "That would be when that happens."
Reserve center Alex Len, one of two Ukrainian players active in the NBA, said he’s seen public support for his country’s fight against Russia wane since the war’s first days, and he’s hoping the news coverage of the argument between America’s and Ukraine’s political leaders can be a step toward resolution. “At the end of the day, we all want just one thing — for the war to stop and for everybody to feel safe again,” Len told The Times on Sunday. “I think that’s the end goal of this whole thing. People just want to live normal life. Like my friends and family that I talked to back home, everybody wants that. … We’re tired of the war. We want the war to stop and we want to come back to normal life and just, live normal life. “Cause this is crazy.”
Len said he thinks Ukraine needs more than a deal ensuring the war’s end — the message he hopes people take out of the Trump-Vance-Zelensky news conference. “They responded very emotionally. But hopefully they’ll be able to come up with a solution to finally stop the war and in a way that Ukraine is protected,” Len said. “Because all Zelensky said is, ‘Yeah, we want a ceasefire. But in the past, Putin broke this ceasefire so many times. We need security to make sure when the ceasefire is not enough. He signed it so many times, and he broke it, and we’re still getting attacked. What’s the purpose of ceasefire? We need more than just ceasefire.”
Alex Len turned down $50,000 from Chandler Parsons for his jersey number
Chandler Parsons: I got traded to Atlanta in my last year. I offered him $50,000 for his jersey number, 25, and he told me no. So, the dude—he doesn’t need the money. He does not need the money.
Advertisement
Keith Smith: Alex Len signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on a prorated veteran minimum contract, a league source confirmed for @spotrac . That leaves the Lakers with enough room under the second-apron hard cap for another prorated veteran minimum signing, should they want to make one.
Chris Haynes: Big man Alex Len will wear No. 27 for the Los Angeles Lakers, sources say.
Lakers will release Christian Wood to make room for Alex Len
Shams Charania: The Lakers are waiving Christian Wood to sign Len, sources tell ESPN.
Michael Scotto: The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a deal with Alex Len, league sources told @hoopshype. Len, in his 12th NBA season, has averaged 6.7 points on 51 percent shooting and 5.3 rebounds in his career. pic.x.com/gjNXpfJjdW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement