Alex Len Changes Course, Ditches Pacers for Deal With Lakers

The free agent 7-footer is headed to Tinseltown.

Jan 4, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) and Sacramento Kings center Alex Len (25) battle for the ball in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

After backing off a deal to join the Indiana Pacers as Myles Turner's backup, free agent center Alex Len is inking an agreement with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Free agent 7-footer Alex Len will sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, agent Mike Lelchitski tells ESPN. Len intended to sign with the Pacers but has decided to land in LA after the Lakers rescinded the Mark Williams trade and created new opportunity. pic.twitter.com/pjqV5HaK4n

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 11, 2025

L.A. had made a blockbuster trade to acquire Mark Williams for the Charlotte Hornets, in exchange for likely All-Rookie sharpshooter Dalton Knecht, a 2031 first-round pick and a 2030 pick swap — only to rescind it when the oft-hurt Williams failed his team physical. The Lakers were thus in need for some major frontcourt help.

Indiana had been circling Len, but the 7-footer walked away after the Pacers wound up inking former lottery pick center Jahlil Okafor to a 10-day contract.

Alex Len will no longer be signing with the Pacers, per @DustinDopirak.

Len and the Lakers hold mutual interest after their trade for Mark Williams fell through. pic.twitter.com/CcrCqOHI49

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) February 11, 2025

More Indiana Pacers: Indiana Reportedly No Longer Signing Center Alex Len

Len is a journeyman big who remains a solid rim protector, even in his relative NBA dotage, but has never developed much of a game beyond the painted area. He has played for the Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings (in two separate stints), Toronto Raptors, and Washington Wizards.

The Ukranian-born center was flipped from the Kings back to the Wizards as part of a three-team trade deadline deal with the Memphis Grizzlies. Washington quickly waived Len, giving him an opportunity to seek more rotation minutes on a contending team.

Los Angeles is desperate for center help. The team offloaded 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis as the centerpiece of its deal with the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz to acquire five-time All-NBA superstar guard Luka Doncic, and though the Lakers brought back a pair of big men, power forward Markieff Morris and center Maxi Kleber, Morris is a practice player at this stage and Kleber will likely miss multiple months with a broken foot.

Young rim-rolling center Jaxson Hayes has been the club's starting five since the Davis deal, and at this phase, Len seems likely to be penciled in as his backup.

Read More: Pacers Trade James Wiseman to Raptors in Last-Second Deadline Deal

The 31-year-old Len has been in the midst of his most minimal season yet as a pro, during his 12th year in the NBA. Across 36 contests for Sacramento (three starts), he had averaged 1.4 points on 53.7 percent shooting from the field and 53.8 percent shooting from the foul line, 1.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.5 blocks in 7.2 minutes per.

More Indiana Pacers:

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This story will be updated...