Veteran center Alex Len received what could be his final NBA lifeline after signing an Exhibit 9 contract with the New York Knicks, a one-year, non-guaranteed deal covering training camp.
Len, once the No. 5 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, has bounced around the league as a journeyman big man. His latest stop comes under new Knicks coach Mike Brown, who guided him for three seasons in Sacramento. The Kings dealt Len in February as part of a three-team trade that sent Marcus Smart from Memphis to Washington, just two months after Brown was dismissed in Sacramento.
The 7-foot Ukrainian center ended last season with the Los Angeles Lakers after being waived by Washington. In 46 combined games between the Kings and Lakers, Len averaged just 1.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in 8.3 minutes — far from the expectations of a former lottery pick.
From Lottery Pick to Long Shot
GettyGiannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks is defended by Alex Len.
Len, a 7-foot Ukrainian big man, spent his first five seasons with the Phoenix Suns but never lived up to his draft position. Stops in Atlanta, Sacramento, Toronto, Washington and most recently Los Angeles followed.
Last season, he split time with the Kings and Lakers, averaging just 1.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in 46 appearances. Over 12 NBA seasons, he has logged 690 games with career averages of 6.7 points and 5.3 rebounds — steady numbers, but not enough to secure a starting role.
The decline has been steep. Once projected as a building block, Len has settled into a third-string role at best in recent years. The Knicks, who signed him largely for training camp depth, could be his last stop.
Knicks Add Veteran Competition
Len joins fellow veterans Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet in New York on Exhibit 9 contracts. All three will compete for one of the final roster spots, though Brogdon and Shamet are viewed as far more likely to stick.
According to ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks, Exhibit 9 contracts protect teams financially by limiting injury liability during camp. Players are entitled to $15,000 if waived due to injury.
Exhibit 10 deals, by contrast, provide up to an $85,300 bonus if a player spends 60 days with a G League affiliate — a path more common for younger prospects than 12-year veterans like Len.
Salary Cap Constraints
The Knicks’ roster squeeze adds to Len’s uphill climb. After using their taxpayer midlevel exception earlier this summer on Guerschon Yabusele, the team is hard-capped at the second apron, sitting just $3.7 million below the limit. That leaves room for one veteran minimum addition and the signing of second-round pick Mohamed Diawara.
SNY’s Ian Begley reported that New York could gain more flexibility by trading one of their young players.
“A trade of either Pacome Dadiet or Miles McBride would clear enough cap space to sign both veterans,” Begley wrote. “The Knicks can also trade Tyler Kolek and have enough space under the second apron to sign both Brogdon and Shamet. I’d expect them to let things play out during camp and preseason before making a move to keep both, but if I’m betting today, I’m betting that both Brogdon and Shamet are on the regular-season roster.”
Still, the Knicks are expected to let camp and preseason play out before finalizing their roster.
Jemison Earns Two-Way Deal
Getty Former Los Angeles Lakers center Trey Jemison III pushes Bennedict Mathurin of the Indiana Pacers to draw a double technical foul.
While Len fights for survival, another former Lakers center secured his spot. Trey Jemison III, who finished last season with the Lakers, earned one of New York’s three two-way contracts following an impressive workout.
Jemison, 24, split time between the Lakers and their G League affiliate in South Bay, averaging 2.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 22 NBA appearances. In the G League, he added 10.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per contest.
The 6-foot-11 big man is expected to provide depth behind Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson, Ariel Hukporti and Yabusele in the Knicks’ crowded frontcourt rotation.
Last Chance in the League?
For Len, the stakes are stark. Once drafted to be a centerpiece, he now enters Knicks camp with little guarantee of making it out.
If he wins a roster spot, it could extend his NBA journey into a 13th season. If not, his Exhibit 9 deal ensures only a small payout — and the possibility that his time in the league has run out.
Former Top-5 Pick Battles for Survival With Knicks