Lakers Hesitant to Waive Alex Len Amid Ongoing Injury Concerns

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Despite a lackluster performance from center Alex Len, the Los Angeles Lakers are reluctant to waive him, choosing instead to hold off on any decisions until the end of the season. Len, who joined the team on February 11, has struggled to make an impact, averaging just 0.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 10.6 minutes over five games.

According to a report by Jovan Buha from The Athletic, there are three primary reasons behind the Lakers’ hesitation to cut ties with Len. ‘One, I do think there’s an element of the Lakers just don’t want to admit they made the mistake yet,’ Buha explained. ‘Two, I don’t think there’s a better alternative right now. Maybe they would just cut him, but right now, if there were a great option in free agency, I think they would pursue that. For now, they’re kind of riding this out. Then three, I think they’re just going to waive him at the end of the season. That would be when that happens.’

Len’s playing time was limited, as showcased in Monday’s loss to the Brooklyn Nets where he went scoreless in 13 minutes. The Lakers are expected to waive at least one player to make room for a two-way guard, with Len being a likely candidate for release. If the team goes ahead with converting another big man to a standard contract, Len may indeed be the odd man out.

The Lakers find themselves in a difficult position as starting center is sidelined following a knee injury. With two games ahead against the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets on March 14 and 15, the team’s current roster may require adjustments.

In a separate concern, Luka Doncic‘s back problems have surfaced as a worry amid the Lakers’ recent struggles. Doncic has averaged 24.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 8.0 assists in his 12 games with the team since a recent trade. However, during losses to the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets, he made just 19 field goals on 48 attempts and committed five turnovers in each matchup.

‘I think Luka is clearly banged up with the back,’ Buha noted. ‘That’s something he had aggravated before the Knicks game, then again in the next game, which was evident in his movement.’ Doncic himself downplayed the injury, assuring fans he was ‘fine,’ although he appeared visibly affected on the court.

With the team holding a 40-23 record and securing the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, the Lakers’ upcoming back-to-back games will test their depth and resilience. Injury updates indicate that LeBron James could be out for two weeks, while Rui Hachimura is due for reevaluation later this week. Jaxson Hayes and Dorian Finney-Smith remain day-to-day.

Doncic voiced his frustration regarding the officiating during the loss to the Nets, hinting at unfair treatment without directly criticizing the referees. ‘In the end of the day, it was a lot. It wasn’t fair,’ he said, reflecting both his own performance with 22 points, 12 assists, and 12 rebounds, and the disparity in free throw attempts between the two teams, with the Lakers shooting 19 free throws against the Nets’ 30.