While the Los Angeles Lakers desperately need to revamp their roster, they don't have too many free agent decisions to make. That is why most of the work the Lakers must do this summer has to come on the trade market.
That doesn't mean, however, that there aren't pending free agents who Lakers fans are ready to see in a different uniform. Jaxson Hayes, Markieff Morris, and Alex Len are all hitting the open market, and it's unlikely that any of them will be back in LA next season.
Lakers Fans Will Be Happy to See Alex Len Elsewhere Next Season
The decision on Len is perhaps the easiest one for the Lakers front office. After the Lakers failed to add a starting center at the trade deadline, they signed free agent Alex Len. The veteran big man was a major disappointment on both ends of the floor, immediately losing his rotation role after two games. In the final month of the season, including in the playoffs, Len was exclusively used as a garbage time option.
The Lakers will spend most of the offseason adding more talent in the frontcourt. GM Rob Pelinka will look to acquire two quality centers, either via trade or free agency. Clint Capela and Brook Lopez are emerging as free agent targets, while Walker Kessler, Nic Claxton, and Rob Williams are some potential trade candidates. On top of these, the Lakers may want to have a third-string center and could bring back Jaxson Hayes for that role. Len getting re-signed among these options seems far-fetched.
Regardless of which direction the Lakers go at center, one thing is clear: the future of Len is not in Los Angeles. The 32-year-old could sign a two-way deal somewhere, be a 15th-man on a roster, or sign an overseas contract for the next stage of his career. Unless he can prove that he belongs on the court against elite competition, it's hard to see him playing a role in the NBA next season.