PHOENIX SUNS

Phoenix Suns’ Alex Len dealing with sore foot

Jan 20, 2015, 6:16 PM | Updated: Jan 21, 2015, 12:20 am

LISTEN: Jeff Hornacek, Suns head coach

The Phoenix Suns’ recent surge can be attributed to many factors, but chief among them has to be the emergence of center Alex Len.

The second-year pro out of Maryland was inserted into the starting lineup on Dec. 15, and since then the team has won 14 of 18 games. The 21-year-old is averaging 7.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in 23.4 minutes per game as a starter, and has given the team an inside presence it sorely needed.

However, if there is one thing that may hold Len back it is the very thing that limited him last season — ankle problems.

Len has had surgery to repair each of his ankles, with the issues limiting him last season. There have been no such problems this year, though that does not mean his feet are not on the Suns’ minds.

“I think he’s got a great future,” Suns coach Jeff Hornacek told Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Tuesday. “The one thing is we always have to be a little careful with the ankle. His foot is a little sore right now.”

The coach added that the soreness is why Len played just 19 minutes in the team’s 115-100 win over the Los Angeles Lakers Monday night. Len scored six points, grabbed six rebounds and blocked three shots in the victory.

“Even though he’ll say, ‘Yeah, it’s OK, it’s OK,'” Hornacek said. “When you have the surgeries like that and it starts to get — I think he’s got a little tendinitis in there. We just want to take it easy with him and make sure we don’t wear him out.”

Len played just two seasons at the University of Maryland before being selected fifth overall by the Suns in the 2013 NBA Draft. He totaled 1,004 minutes his entire sophomore campaign, and is already already up to 876 this season — with nearly half a season (and maybe playoffs) left to go.

“It’s his first year of playing real big minutes so we kind of have to build him up to play those big minutes,” Hornacek said. “Especially with the stretch of games we have coming up, these next seven or eight games we’re going to need some pretty big minutes out of Alex, so it was great to get him a little rest last night and hopefully he’s ready to go at full strength the next game.”

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Phoenix Suns

Jusuf Nurkic...

Damon Allred

Jusuf Nurkic questionable for Suns’ matchup with Thunder; Bradley Beal no longer listed

The Phoenix Suns are listing center Jusuf Nurkic questionable for a matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

14 hours ago

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets is guarded by Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns during th...

Kellan Olson

Suns respond to season’s low point with thorough win over Nuggets

The guessing game of which Suns team shows up on which night persists. The best current version did on Wednesday in a win over the Nuggets.

1 day ago

Bradley Beal #3 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the second half against the Boston Celtics at T...

David Veenstra

Bradley Beal in, Jusuf Nurkic out for Suns’ matchup with Nuggets

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal is active for Wednesday's matchup with the Denver Nuggets while center Jusuf Nurkic is out.

1 day ago

Tyler Kolek, Marquette...

Damon Allred

Here’s who Phoenix Suns fans should watch in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16

The Suns' first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft sits at No. 19 overall, and they could select a star from the NCAA Tournament.

2 days ago

Phoenix Suns take on San Antonio Spurs...

Arizona Sports

O’Neale: Phoenix Suns took Spurs ‘too lightly’ in glaring loss

The Phoenix Suns' lack of effort was on display Monday night against the San Antonio Spurs, leading to an honest film session.

2 days ago

...

Arizona Sports Video

Video: Royce O’Neale: Suns took Spurs “a little too lightly”

Phoenix Suns forward Royce O'Neale joined Burns & Gambo to talk about the team's disappointing loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, and to look ahead at the team's remaining schedule, as they continue to make a push toward the NBA playoffs.

3 days ago

Phoenix Suns’ Alex Len dealing with sore foot