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The remaking of the Toronto Raptors’ frontcourt continues! The Athletic’s Shams Charania is reporting that former Kings, Hawks and Suns centre Alex Len will join the Raptors:
Free agent center Alex Len has agreed to a deal with the Toronto Raptors, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 23, 2020
No terms have been reported as yet, but given the roster construction and state of the Raptors’ salary cap, it’s most likely a minimum-salary contract.
[UPDATE: ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski is now reporting the deal to be for one year at $2.3 million.]
Len, 27, is a former first-round draft pick (5th overall in 2013) of the Phoenix Suns. He started 140 games for the Suns over five seasons, averaging 7.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.
He signed with Atlanta as a free agent in the summer of 2018, before being traded to Sacramento at last season’s trade deadline. He averaged 8.0 points and 5.8 boards last season.
Len expanded his three-point range in Atlanta, taking 260 total three-pointers during his season-and-a-half there, at 34%.
In Toronto, he’ll presumably be the third centre on the roster behind Aron Baynes and Chris Boucher, and provides solid insurance should the injury bug hit. He should fit in nicely as a screen-setter for Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet.
In terms of roster construction, the Raptors now stand at 15, if you include the non-guaranteed deals for Terence Davis and Dewan Hernandez. Oshae Brissett remains a restricted free agent, and second-round pick Jalen Harris has yet to sign a contract.
Given Davis’ legal situation and the potential that Brissett flashed last year, one would expect the final roster would see Davis gone, Brissett on a low-cost deal and Harris on a two-way contract. We shall see!