There’s no doubt that Domantas Sabonis is the Sacramento Kings’ starting center whenever he’s healthy—that’s a given.
But even though he’s remarkably durable (having played all 82 games last season), Sabonis can’t be on the floor every minute. That’s why the Kings need a reliable role player who can step in and provide 10 to 15 minutes of solid big man play while Sabonis takes a break.
Who is the Sacramento Kings backup center?
As the season approached, there appeared to be a mini-competition for the Sacramento Kings’ backup big man position, with Alex Len and Orlando Robinson (who was added this offseason) as the two main contenders. However, a sprained MCL has sidelined one of these players from the competition.
On Saturday, it was revealed that Robinson would be out for at least a month due to a sprained MCL in his left knee. Consequently, Len will step up as the backup center at least at the start of the season.
Is Alex Len a good backup center?
In sports, many questions remain unanswered, but this isn’t one of those cases. We have a clear understanding of Alex Len’s capabilities as a backup center because he held that role for the Kings last season.
When healthy—and when the Kings weren’t utilizing JaVale McGee—Len played 444 minutes across 48 games. While his box score numbers (2.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and 1.0 APG) may not stand out, he delivered a strong defensive performance.
According to Dunks & Threes, Len had a Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus that ranked in the 75th percentile. He also excelled with a block rate that placed him in the 98th percentile. The Kings’ defense performed significantly better with Len on the floor compared to when he was on the bench, boasting a 97th percentile on/off defensive rating, as per Cleaning the Glass.
Offensively, Len wasn’t as impactful, landing in the 38th percentile for Offensive Estimated Plus-Minus. However, as a backup, he doesn’t need to be as versatile as a starter.
Ultimately, Len is a reliable backup center in the league and is more than capable of stepping up in Robinson’s absence. In fact, there’s a strong possibility he will retain this role even after Robinson returns from injury.
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