Hawks sign C Alex Len

[KB21]

15 minutes ago, nathan2331 said:

44 minutes ago, KB21 said:

If Bud were still here, I could buy into Len being able to expand his game and becoming a capable starter.  With the current coaching staff, not so much.

 

I mean, most of the work is going to have to come from Len regardless of who's coaching. You have a point, but I think Len will be looking to prove himself.

While there is some truth to most of the work having to come from Len, Bud had a dedicated shooting coach on his staff who was one of the top 2-3 shooting coaches in the entire NBA.  To this point, Pierce has failed to add a dedicated shooting coach. 

[JTB]

3 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

I hope this really works.

Len already letting it be known he’s extremely committed to setting proper screens to get his shooters open !....Damn I love that ! ...he will greatly benefit from that commitment  by minutes and opportunities for himself rolling hard to the goal and stepping out for jumpers.

[JTB]

3 hours ago, nathan2331 said:

3 hours ago, KB21 said:

If Bud were still here, I could buy into Len being able to expand his game and becoming a capable starter.  With the current coaching staff, not so much.

 

I mean, most of the work is going to have to come from Len regardless of who's coaching. You have a point, but I think Len will be looking to prove himself.

Agreed...bud has proven he places a good staff together to develop players but there’s no need to believe that coach pierce staff won’t do the same . We have to see what they are about first then we can judge if hawks university still exists or not

[JayBirdHawk]

 

[Gray Mule]

The (mostly) forgotten man on the Hawks roster is center Alex Len.  I've heard it said over many years that it takes much longer for a big, tall man to reach his stride than it does a small man.  I believe this to be true.

Still a very young man @ 25 who hasn't played that many games \ hours in the NBA.  We expect him to get every chance to make good here.  He has a 2 year deal and, if he had been in this year's draft, would have been a very good pick, probably in the 1st half of the first round. 

Can this year's Hawk team learn to play defense?  Some players haven't shown themselves to be great on defense.  However Lloyd Pierce was the head defensive coach before he came here, so there is hope.  Alex Len is certainly big enough to be a rim protector and rebounder if size counts.  How fast and smooth he moves, we wait and see. 

We expect to see the veteran Dedmon as our starting center.  Alex Len has the opportunity to become his backup.  He will have to root Plumlee out of his spot.  With these three, Hawks have the center spot well covered for now.  And, we have more big men invited to training camp.

[AHF]

I think you are right that Len is someone to watch to see how he develops but I don't give him a complete pass on his development to date.  In terms of games played, for example, he has played significantly more games than Dedmon and about 80% of the number of games played by Jeremy Lin and Kent Bazemore.  He isn't a total spring chicken but he is young enough to take some significant strides this year.  Will be interested to see how it goes.

[JayBirdHawk]

Phoenix and their lack of a PG has done him no favors either. Saw they're interested in Teague if Dragic is traded from Miami to Minny in the Jimmy deal (speculation).

[KB21]

4 hours ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Phoenix and their lack of a PG has done him no favors either. Saw they're interested in Teague if Dragic is traded from Miami to Minny in the Jimmy deal (speculation).

The player development in Phoenix has been terrible.  So, what do the Hawks do?  They hire Phoenix's player development coach.

[deester11]

8 hours ago, KB21 said:

The player development in Phoenix has been terrible.  So, what do the Hawks do?  They hire Phoenix's player development coach.

I'll say it...ouch KB. 

[bleachkit]

8 hours ago, KB21 said:

The player development in Phoenix has been terrible.  So, what do the Hawks do?  They hire Phoenix's player development coach.

Devin Booker got paid.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

3 hours ago, deester11 said:

I'll say it...ouch KB. 

Jeff Hornacek, Ear Watson, Jay Triano and now Igor Kokosov -  4 head coaches in 4 years since Booker was drafted in 2015.  There is no coaching stability.

Garnett was with San Antonio for 1 year then the Suns for the last 2 years. That's his NBA experience.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

Outside of Trae, Huerter and Len are the two guys I’m most excited about.

[kg01]

5 hours ago, deester11 said:

I'll say it...ouch KB. 

Don't let him lead you down that path.  Do you own digging.  @JayBirdHawk gave you a head start.

[Sothron]

I'll repeat: I'm very much looking forward to watching Len play. He starts for me in 2k on the Hawks.

[Gray Mule]

HAWKS HAVE A NEW TEAM, A NEW COACH AND A NEW HOME !!

Changes?  We have a basket full.  This team has changed from one of the oldest to become one of the youngest.  And this was done while adding Vince Carter who has been off his Rookie contract for a while!

Alex Len, an old man of 25, joins our other first and second year players.  Our GM has drafted players because they can score.  These three come into the NBA under a rookie coach who has stated his desire to focus on defense.

We want to know what we have.  We don't know.  We can only guess.  We've been told that our GM has drafted and traded for players who have a reputation for being solid citizens.  We applaud this.  We know from experience how important that this can be.  No more trouble makers, please.

Questions?  You bet.   Can Dedmon be as good as he showed last season?  Will Bazemore still be a Hawk at season's end?  Can Jeremy Lin come in healthy and avoid injury this season?  Will all three draft picks stay all year - Or, will they spend time in the G League?  Will Trae Young become a star or a bust?  He has people leaning both ways.

Finally, what will our Hawks look like under the new head coach?  And, will our GM let this team win if they show up good or will he trade away players in order to insure a low standing for a possible high draft pick?

Are this year's players doomed to failure for a future hoped for draft star?  Will this team be able to sign anyone really good with all their $$$ payroll surplus next summer?

??  ??  ??

[JayBirdHawk]

1 hour ago, Gray Mule said:

HAWKS HAVE A NEW TEAM, A NEW COACH AND A NEW HOME !!

Changes?  We have a basket full.  This team has changed from one of the oldest to become one of the youngest.  And this was done while adding Vince Carter who has been off his Rookie contract for a while!

Alex Len, an old man of 25, joins our other first and second year players.  Our GM has drafted players because they can score.  These three come into the NBA under a rookie coach who has stated his desire to focus on defense.

We want to know what we have.  We don't know.  We can only guess.  We've been told that our GM has drafted and traded for players who have a reputation for being solid citizens.  We applaud this.  We know from experience how important that this can be.  No more trouble makers, please.

Questions?  You bet.   Can Dedmon be as good as he showed last season?  Will Bazemore still be a Hawk at season's end?  Can Jeremy Lin come in healthy and avoid injury this season?  Will all three draft picks stay all year - Or, will they spend time in the G League?  Will Trae Young become a star or a bust?  He has people leaning both ways.

Finally, what will our Hawks look like under the new head coach?  And, will our GM let this team win if they show up good or will he trade away players in order to insure a low standing for a possible high draft pick?

Are this year's players doomed to failure for a future hoped for draft star?  Will this team be able to sign anyone really good with all their $$$ payroll surplus next summer?

??  ??  ??

Lots-O-Questions GM.  We'll start to get answers quite soon. Can't wait!!!

[deester11]

On 9/27/2018 at 0:14 PM, kg01 said:

Don't let him lead you down that path.  Do you own digging.  @JayBirdHawk gave you a head start.

I've butted heads so much with KB it's insane.  I'm a fan of the team and if they fail at least I see a semblance of a vision.  These spoiled "I wanna play with this superteam" mantra players is really old.  I think the Hawk's taking flyers on the Len's and Robinsons are where we are at and I love it.  Let's get it...

[kg01]

On 9/29/2018 at 0:32 AM, deester11 said:

I've butted heads so much with KB it's insane.  I'm a fan of the team and if they fail at least I see a semblance of a vision.  These spoiled "I wanna play with this superteam" mantra players is really old.  I think the Hawk's taking flyers on the Len's and Robinsons are where we are at and I love it.  Let's get it...

Unfortunately, he chooses not to see past his agenda.  But enough about him ...

.... I too am tired of the "Bwah, I cain't win so's I'mma team up!!!" stuff.  I'm ok with our slow-build.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

 

Quote

"When we met, he invited me to talk to him one-on-one, and he basically laid down what he expects of me," Len said. "He was like, 'Keep setting great screens and rolling hard to the basket and rebounding and defending pick and rolls.' "

Pierce then added a wrinkle to the usual expectations. 

"If you keep putting in the work on shooting threes," he said, "I'll let you shoot them."

 

[JayBirdHawk]