Alex Len gives the Kings a surprising boost in the absence of Richaun Holmes

The first thing you notice about Alex Len is his size.

NBA players are generally larger than the average human, but Len stands out even on a floor full of tall individuals. Len is listed at 7-foot-1 and 249 pounds, and he plays to his size. Some big men shrink away from contact. Not Len. His presence is noticeable, as is the impact he’s already having with the Sacramento Kings.

Len arrived in Sacramento as part of the Feb. 5 trade that sent Dewayne Dedmon back to the Atlanta Hawks. Jabari Parker also came to Sacramento as part of the deal.

At the time of the trade, it seemed like little more than a punt from Vlade Divac. Dedmon, signed this past summer to a hefty free agent contract, never worked out as the Kings hoped and he asked to be traded. Dedmon played the previous two season with the Hawks and the Kings were able to send Dedmon back home.

Len was initially viewed as little more than an expiring contract in the deal. Most of the discussion was that the Kings would use the opportunity to look at Jabari Parker, whom the Kings chased in free agency in years past. Parker will remain under contract next season as well.

Upon his arrival, Len missed a few games as he dealt with lingering injuries. Len made his Kings debut against the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 20. In that debut, he finished with three points, eight rebounds, one steal and a block in 16 minutes of action. In his second game, Len played 15 minutes against the Golden State Warriors and finished with no points, four rebounds, one assist and two blocks. You may be wondering, based just on those stat lines, why Len is worth writing about or talking about. But those stat lines don’t fully capture his impact.

Against the Clippers, Len’s size was critical. Due to the injuries to Marvin Bagley and Richaun Holmes, the Kings have struggled to match up with opponents down low. Harry Giles has many gifts, but he isn’t a big body like Len. Len was able to match the physicality of the Clippers’ big men, especially Montrezl Harrell, who was visibly agitated by Len’s stout defense.

Len was similarly disruptive against the Warriors. While he isn’t the prototypical rim-protecting big, Len’s size and surprisingly good defensive instincts deterred the Warriors from attacking the paint. He registered two blocks but had a bigger overall impact forcing Warriors players to abandon drives or post-up positions.

None of this is meant to suggest that Len is about to emerge as a star for the Kings, but he could be a key bench contributor as the Kings chase their dream of a playoff berth. We still don’t know when Holmes will return action. When Holmes comes back, Len might be used more sparingly and dependent more on matchups. Until Holmes returns, Len provides the Kings with a solid backup center who plays within himself and within the team. Len is a pleasant surprise, and should be able to help the Kings in the waning weeks of the regular season.