Tracking the development of Alex Len

[JCSunsfan]

Yup. As the ol' adage says, "Attack problems, not people."

We ought to ban the Use of the term "haters" on the board. It's only use is as an ad hominem attack.

 

[Errntknght]

We need a 'Shame, shame on you' icon to toss at the users of the word

 

[Chris_Sanders]

You might want to look at the thread asking who was the answer to improve the Suns at center.

As usual, I knew what was up.

Unlike Steve or yourself.

You blowhards are never right.

And you get a month off

 

[Chris_Sanders]

For the record, I was incredibly off when Len was drafted but have been coming around since the Summer League. Now I get mad when he gets sat

 

[sunsfan88]

Surprising that he isn't even on this list, I expected him to be top 5

http://nyloncalculus.com/stats/rim-protection/

 

[elindholm]

I'm not ready yet to admit that I was wrong about Len. He shows encouraging flashes, but the list of big men who have tantalized and then not made it stick is long. (Remember when Tsakalidis has something like 20 and 10 against Shaq early in his career.) I'm happy for the record to show that, so far, it looks like I was wrong, but my strong feeling is that the jury is still out.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Are those career numbers? We see his progression. Those numbers just average every minute he has played. If they were for the last ten games, it would be quite different.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm not ready yet to admit that I was wrong about Len. He shows encouraging flashes, but the list of big men who have tantalized and then not made it stick is long. (Remember when Tsakalidis has something like 20 and 10 against Shaq early in his career.) I'm happy for the record to show that, so far, it looks like I was wrong, but my strong feeling is that the jury is still out.

Let's hope Len is at least a notch better than Tiago Splitter.

 

[BC867]

More than any other position on the court, a Center has to be, at the least, a good role player. Defending the post, shot blocking, effecting changed shots and rebounding, both defensively and offensively.

Anything on offense is a plus, and that is up to the Point Guards primarily to feed him regularly and keep him involved and build confidence.

For most of the Suns existence, it has not been part of their DNA to make that a priority in the post. It is never too late.

 

[JCSunsfan]

More than any other position on the court, a Center has to be, at the least, a good role player. Defending the post, shot blocking, effecting changed shots and rebounding, both defensively and offensively.

Anything on offense is a plus, and that is up to the Point Guards primarily to feed him regularly and keep him involved and build confidence.

For most of the Suns existence, it has not been part of their DNA to make that a priority in the post. It is never too late.

That's why I am encouraged about Len, and you should be too. We have a 7-2 center that blocks shots, alters shots, takes up space, rebounds, and has offensive upside. We have a 6-10 pf that plays hard D and has a decent midrange game. We have a 6-7 starting sf that plays tough, tough D and is a good rebounder for the position.

I would think you would be happy about it. Much better than the days of a 6-9 center, 6-7 pf, 6-6 sf, and a couple of guards.

We play a 3 guard lineup in certain situations, but that is no reason to think that this team is small. Also, Goran is now a 2 guard with pg skills. We cannot think like we are playing two pg's. He plays the 2 for the Suns as he did for his national team, and he is adapting very well to it.

Cmon, BC. Be happy.

 

[sunsfan88]

That's why I am encouraged about Len, and you should be too. We have a 7-2 center that blocks shots, alters shots, takes up space, rebounds, and has offensive upside. We have a 6-10 pf that plays hard D and has a decent midrange game. We have a 6-7 starting sf that plays tough, tough D and is a good rebounder for the position.

I would think you would be happy about it. Much better than the days of a 6-9 center, 6-7 pf, 6-6 sf, and a couple of guards.

We play a 3 guard lineup in certain situations, but that is no reason to think that this team is small. Also, Goran is now a 2 guard with pg skills. We cannot think like we are playing two pg's. He plays the 2 for the Suns as he did for his national team, and he is adapting very well to it.

Cmon, BC. Be happy.

lol who?

 

[BC867]

That's why I am encouraged about Len, and you should be too. We have a 7-2 center that blocks shots, alters shots, takes up space, rebounds, and has offensive upside. We have a 6-10 pf that plays hard D and has a decent midrange game. We have a 6-7 starting sf that plays tough, tough D and is a good rebounder for the position.

I would think you would be happy about it. Much better than the days of a 6-9 center, 6-7 pf, 6-6 sf, and a couple of guards.

We play a 3 guard lineup in certain situations, but that is no reason to think that this team is small. Also, Goran is now a 2 guard with pg skills. We cannot think like we are playing two pg's. He plays the 2 for the Suns as he did for his national team, and he is adapting very well to it.

Cmon, BC. Be happy.

Don't worry . . . ('sorry, 'couldn't resist).

Y'know, when the lineup that is good enough to start games (at their best positions) is is good enough to finish games (at their best positions), I will be a lot happier.

And I agree with sunsfan88 about Kieff. As has been quoted, he called himself undersized at the PF position (and he finishes most games at C). That is indeed part of the reason to think that this team is small.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Don't worry . . . ('sorry, 'couldn't resist).

Y'know, when the lineup that is good enough to start games (at their best positions) is is good enough to finish games (at their best positions), I will be a lot happier.

And I agree with sunsfan88 about Kieff. As has been quoted, he called himself undersized at the PF position (and he finishes most games at C). That is indeed part of the reason to think that this team is small.

Keef is not an undersized pf no matter how much he whines. He is 6-10 250 which is bigger than most pf's in the league. We ought to trade him just for saying that. In fact, he is as big as a LOT of centers.

Alonzo Mourning 6-10, 240
Al Horford who everyone would love to have is 6-10, 250.

Keef, quit complaining and play ball.

 

[sunsfan88]

I don't think Kieff is undersized for a PF but I definitely think its quite a stretch to say that he plays hard D when he's a liability on that end most of the time due to lack of length and athleticism and sometimes desire.

 

[SirStefan32]

Kieff isn't a bad PF if you have a good, big Center playing next to him. It's when he has to slide over to 5 that he really starts being a liability. He also needs to learn to pass and play inside more. That 15-18 foot isolation play that results in a contested jumper needs to go bye bye.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think Markieff would be a much more effective PF if he had longer arm length. However, he would likely have not fallen to the Suns in the draft if that were the case.

 

[sunsfan88]

I just wish Kieff would rebound better. He never boxes out or even makes the effort to box out.

The worst part is that he's actually very strong so he certainly has the ability to box out most of the guys that he's guarding, he just chooses to not do so.

3 rebounds in 35 mins in our last game is unacceptable.

 

[Joe Mama]

I just wish Kieff would rebound better. He never boxes out or even makes the effort to box out.

The worst part is that he's actually very strong so he certainly has the ability to box out most of the guys that he's guarding, he just chooses to not do so.

3 rebounds in 35 mins in our last game is unacceptable.

totally agree. It's not just that his arms are too short. He doesn't put a body on anybody. He stands there looking at the ball too often.

Joe

 

[JCSunsfan]

totally agree. It's not just that his arms are too short. He doesn't put a body on anybody. He stands there looking at the ball too often.

Joe

I wouldn't mind trading the two Morri. Its probably a sell high moment.

 

[sunsfan88]

I wouldn't mind trading the two Morri. Its probably a sell high moment.

I'm hesitant on trading Kieff cause he's a perfect 6th man type big. He's one of the best low post scorers in the NBA imo. Problem is that low post scoring is literally the only thing that he can do.

But yea I would trade Marcus yesterday.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I'm hesitant on trading Kieff cause he's a perfect 6th man type big. He's one of the best low post scorers in the NBA imo. Problem is that low post scoring is literally the only thing that he can do.

But yea I would trade Marcus yesterday.

man... 8 million per seems like a lot of scratch for a one-dimensional big off the bench.

 

[sunsfan88]

man... 8 million per seems like a lot of scratch for a one-dimensional big off the bench.

True, I mean I wouldn't cry if we traded Kieff, it would just have to be a good haul that we get back.

Would be nice if we can develop Len into a good low post scorer. He's showed promise, he hardly gets any touches down there though because of the jumper happy play by all the guards and wings.

 

[sunsfan88]

This is type of potential he has offensively. He's doing this on Tim Duncan too

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[SirStefan32]

This is type of potential he has offensively. He's doing this on Tim Duncan too

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I watch watching the game in my office, and when that happened, I literally said "OH MY GOD!" It took me a few seconds to process what the hell happened. That was just downright amazing.

 

[Suns_fan69]

Wow, I did not see the game and I heard he had a great dunk but I was not expecting that. He took off from pretty damn far.