After dropping four consecutive games, the Los Angeles Lakers have fallen to fifth place in the Western Conference. With key players, including LeBron James, sidelined due to injuries, head coach JJ Redick has been forced to work with a depleted lineup. Facing a tough road stretch against the Celtics, Nets, Bucks, and Nuggets, the Lakers struggled to compensate for their missing stars.
The team returns home for a five-game stretch starting Sunday against the Suns, with expectations that LeBron, Luka Doncic, and Jaxson Hayes will all be back in action.
Although Hayes’ return may not seem significant at first glance, it could have a major impact on the Lakers, who have struggled in his absence due to a right knee contusion. His replacement, Alex Len, has performed poorly, contributing to the team’s struggles.
Alex Len’s Disappointing Stint with the Lakers
Len was inserted into the starting lineup for the last three games, logging 44 total minutes. During this time, the Lakers were outscored by 27 points. He managed just four points on 2-of-6 shooting and failed to make a meaningful impact on either end of the floor.
Since signing with the team after the trade deadline, Len has played 12.1 minutes per game over seven appearances, shooting just 36.4% from the field and averaging 1.1 points and 2.7 rebounds. He has yet to attempt a free throw and has recorded only two blocks.
Perhaps the biggest issue has been the team’s defensive struggles during his minutes. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Lakers have allowed 133.8 points per 100 possessions when Len is on the floor—far worse than their 113.4 defensive rating when he is off. This would mark the worst defensive rating in NBA history for a full season.
While the Lakers have limited options at center, it’s clear that Len isn’t a viable solution, especially for the playoffs. His defensive weaknesses and lack of versatility make him an easy candidate to be left out of the postseason rotation. Instead, Redick may need to rely on small-ball lineups featuring Jarred Vanderbilt, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Rui Hachimura at center, depending on the matchup.
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