Luka Doncic gets another European as teammate with Lakers signing backup big man
Los Angeles Lakers needed a physical center to man the interior after losing Anthony Davis in the Luka Doncic trade.
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Los Angeles Lakers sign Alex Len to play alongside Luka Doncic
When the Los Angeles Lakers brought in Luka Doncic, they had to send out Anthony Davis in return. That would avoid them from paying a lot more in terms of draft picks or other assets that will help them down the road. That meant, the franchise was lacking a true center to shore up their interior.
They tried to fix that glaring hole by trading for Mark Williams. However, the trade fell through at the last moment as the Lakers were not happy with what they saw in terms of his health. Now they were left with career backup Jaxson Hayes along with the injured Christian Wood.
Seven footers with the physical attributes to take on premier centers are not easily found. Since everyone knew the Lakers were in need of such a player, they set up a huge asking price on most of them. The team however did have some cap space, which indicated that they were on the lookout for an addition.
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 Len intended to sign with the Pacers but has decided to land in LA after the Lakers rescinded the Mark Williams trade and created new opportunity.
Shams Charania wrote
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 Len intended to sign with the Pacers but has decided to land in LA after the Lakers rescinded the Mark Williams trade and created new opportunity.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
ESPN’s NBA Insider Shams Charania broke this news earlier. The Ukranian center was available as a free agent. Even though Alex Len was touted to go to the Indiana Pacers, Rob Pelinka probably made a good enough push to sign him.
Lakers waive one center for another as Luka Doncic gets another lob threat
With Alex Len’s addition, the Los Angeles Lakers would have had five centers. That is one too many for a team that needs to keep a roster spot open for any later additions. With two-way players offering a unique advantage, Shams Charania updated the NBA world with this news.
The Lakers are waiving Christian Wood to sign Len, sources tell ESPN.
Shams Charania wrote
Christian Wood had a decent first season with the Lakers. His two-year contract though is up after this season. On top of that, he has not featured at all this season, which meant he was expendable. Keeping two-way contracts are cheaper than keeping an injured backup center.
The Lakers are waiving Christian Wood to sign Len, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/PqANIme1CE
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 11, 2025
Many expected Wood to take a leap this season. With Anthony Davis gone, he would have been the starting center. The Lakers will get no help from an injured player. Had he been healthy or was even close to returning, he could have stayed.
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Joseph Varghese
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