All aboard the Alex Len bandwagon.

[TheMaulClaw]

Im all about getting some thick athletic 7 footers.   He's still a project no doubt. But he gives us something we don't have, someone who is tough to root out of the post.  While he does know how to get into good position, none of his clips really show any polished offensive post moves.  But still, he'll allow our forwards to grab more boards, and he'd be great in pick and roll/pops.

[TANTRIC-NINJA]

Even without the injury concerns, Len is a stiff. No thanks. We don't need to spend a lottery pick to get a tall guy to sit on the bench.

Calling a tall white guy a stiff must be the NBA equilivant of a Nolan Norowacki adjectives for african american QBs.

Len without the foot injury is better than a 180 lb Noel...who Marcus Camby looks at and says damn eat a sandwich...Who Biyombo would have to mentor in showing post moves... Thats Raw!!

Len has a unique skill set n is worth a gamble if the doctors do not see this injury as chronic. Noel's knee and holding up in the league when healthy is a problem for three years at least...gotta wait for puberty with him.

As for the guards and small forwards..they have giant holes in their game outside of Burke. Olidipo has huge ball handling issues..(is my fave among the guards) which is like a WR who has issues catching.

Kind of a big issue.

Im with Koolkat on this one*..you see Len's skill set and not that many 7footers have that "AGILITY" (opposite of stiff) coordination and scoring awareness that should blossom in a more open NBA.

*still think Tavon will be better than Lafell or Allen.. Lol in his rookie year.

[DaCityKats]

i would have no issues with Len, but the foot.the bobcats need a big with a post game bad.

[SOJA]

won't be upset with him---this draft really sucks, might as well swing for a potential franchise 7 foot big 

[PantherBrew]

 

4 Alex Len C Maryland

Sophomore7-1255   The Bobcats badly need a big man to shore up a frontcourt of a team that ranked last in points in the paint (25.3 per game), 23rd in opponent points in the paint (39.5) and 27th in rebounding (40.3 per game). Oladipo will get strong consideration, but two team executives believe Len -- a physical 5-man who rebounds well, protects the paint (2.1 blocks per game) and can play with his back to the basket -- is on the rise, despite the fact that a stress fracture in his left ankle will keep him out of individual workouts. And remember this: New coach Steve Clifford has an excellent reputation when it comes to developing big men.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20130529/nba-mock-draft-2013-nerlens-noel-ben-mclemore-alex-len/#ixzz2UhtBxJaK

 

 

[L-TownCat]

This draft is total poo.  If we dont trade for a player or back for picks then why not just use it on the guy that will fill the most glaring need the franchise has ever known?  Draft Len no matter where or when if all other avenues have closed.  

 

 

I'm on the train.

 

[Jakob]

I saw a few mocks where Len was going #1  :growl:

[carolina-chuck]

I just cant like Len enough at no.4.

His offensive game is pretty good, but what else can he bring to the table. Is he a franchise player, someone who you can build this team around or is he just a role player? I think it's going to be a long process for him to translate into the NBA, and I def dont think he's Brook Lopez.

Is he a better prospect coming out than Jonas Valanciunas and Jan Vesley?

[CarolinaNCSU]

Nice write up from a Maryland writer describing Len, and a lot of the questions surrounding him that scare me off.

 

http://www.testudotimes.com/2013/5/31/4363814/alex-len-nba-draft-preview-maryland-center

[PantherBrew]

Nice write up from a Maryland writer describing Len, and a lot of the questions surrounding him that scare me off.

 

http://www.testudotimes.com/2013/5/31/4363814/alex-len-nba-draft-preview-maryland-center

 

Eh, I understand some of the critiques.  But at this point of pre-draft, everyone has something you can nitpick about. 

 

The chance to hit a homerun with a potential elite bigman is too much to pass up, imo.

 

Yes, he may bomb, and he probably wont be very good next season.  But look at most of the center prospects the last several years, most of them take a couple of years to get a feel of the game and to build strengths to play the post. (Hibbert, Gasol, Lopez)

 

Worst case scenario, he is awful, and at least he sets us up for almost a lock for top 3 picks next season.  

 

I have doubts, like many here do, but there are doubts with every prospect.  

 

I do believe that having #4 alleviates a lot of the pressure of having to get a superstar.

 

At  #4, I'd like McLemore, Len, Bennett in that order.  

[CarolinaNCSU]

Yeah I'm not completely opposed to Len...I just don't like him at 4.  A big should be priority number 1 for this team IMO, I just don't think the value matches the pick if it's Len.  Although #4 in this draft does have poo value. 

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

DraftExpress, who in my opinion does the best mock drafts in the business has recently updated their mock draft and has Alex Len going to the Hornets at the fourth pick (link: http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2013/).

 

Draft Express recently wrote an amazing article on Len (link: http://www.draftexpress.com/article/NBA-Draft-Prospect-of-the-Week-Alex-Len-4232/) that is really a must read for Hornets fans.

 

Side Note: Draft Express has a few surprises in their lates mock draft... C.J. McCollum has worked his way into the top 10 at number eight to Detroit, Muhammad now in the lottery at number nine to Minnesota, Cody Zeller falling out of the top 10 to Philadelphia at number 11, Shane Larkin in the top 15 going to Utah at number 14, and Reggie Bullock being selected by Indiana with the 23rd pick.

[cdandi1]

Here is draftexpresses video for Len to accompany the above article.  draft express, imo, is more accurate and of higher quality than nbadraft.net...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Fbn5U7aI2Ng

 

 

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

Just a few tidbits from the article/video

 

- Len is an amazing finisher at the rim as he finished 65% of his shots (non post-up) at the rim (one of the best rates in the draft)

- Great pick and roll player which is something that Clifford might try to incorporate here in Charlotte (similar to what L.A. ran before D'Antoni turned  the Lakers into a circus).

- 85.7 field goal percentage in transition buckets (however, it only made up 4% of his offensive game)

- 41% of Len's offense came with his back to the basket (great post-up player)

- Per 40 he averaged 17.5 points per game (possibly what he could average in a 48 minute NBA game)

- Per 40 he averaged 11.5 rebounds per game (see above parenthesis)

- Per 40 he averaged 3 blocks per game (which ranks him top 10 in this category in the draft, 7th among 100 centers)

- He's really young and doesn't turn 20 until mid-June (to put this in perspective I finished my Sophomore year of college this year, like Len; and turned 20 in September)

- Great offensive rebounder, 4.3 per 40 which ranked 6th in DX's 100 centers (offensive put backs made up 19% of Len's offense)

- Great rim defender (opponents only shot 29% [8-28] at the rim against Len)

- Decent pick and pop player from mid-range possibly up to 18 feet, very similar to Tim Duncan (shot 36.4% from catch and shoot position)

- Great post passer, especially out of the double team (Maryland averaged a point per possession every time Len was doubled)

- Len says his goal for the summer is to gain an extra 10 pounds (he wants to be around 260/265, think Dwight Howard type frame)

 

I'm pretty much on the Len bandwagon at this point (unless McLemore falls, I'd also be okay with Anthony Bennett), but we really would need to try and sign a power forward with an offensive game to accompany Len. DraftExpress pointed out that Maryland usually played with an offensively challenged forward beside Len which allowed teams to focus on/double team Len in the post. If the Hornets started Biz next to Len in the post, NBA teams would essentially do to Len what teams did to him in college. A combination of Jefferson/Millsap next to Len would be pretty special for the Hornets future.