The NBA offseason is in full swing now that the first week of free agency is in the books. It was a relatively quiet first week for the Los Angeles Lakers, who signed free agents Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia while also working out a new deal with Jaxson Hayes. Although not the most moves, they're good enough to leave Lakers fans feeling optimistic about next season.
The first week of NBA free agency also saw several former Lakers find new homes around the league. At the same time, certain ex-Los Angeles players are struggling to find fresh starts, including one of the franchise's recent centers.
Former Lakers C Alex Lan is Still Unemployed After 1st Week of NBA Free Agency
Alex Len is one former Lakers free agent who can't seem to find a new playing opportunity this summer. With the way things are going, combined with last season's performance, it's hard to imagine that changing any time soon.
Len, 32, began the 2024-25 campaign with the Sacramento Kings but was traded to the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline. He was then waived by the Wizards less than a week later, allowing him to sign with the Lakers, who were hungry for a center after shipping Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks and failing to acquire Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets.
Despite being an experienced veteran, Len wasn't the answer for the Lakers' frontcourt woes, and it didn't take long for him to wear out his welcome.
The former Maryland product only made 10 regular-season appearances, averaging 2.2 points and 3.1 rebounds while shooting an abysmal 45.5% from the floor. He also struggled defensively more often than not, resulting in head coach JJ Redick keeping him off the floor entirely for multiple games at a time.
Once the playoffs arrived, Len suited up for only 3:40 spread across two appearances, proving that he no longer had a future with the Lakers. Choosing not to re-sign him was the right call, and that seems to be even more correct given his lack of attention in free agency.
Much like Los Angeles was last year, it'll likely take an extremely desperate team to sign Len. He isn't a reliable frontcourt presence at this stage of his career, especially as a starter, and there's a good chance he'll remain unsigned until later in the NBA offseason.