Atlanta Hawks: Alex Len Aiming for Most Improved Player Award in 2019-20

A quick look at recent comments made by Atlanta Hawks big man Alex Len about the upcoming 2019-20 season.

After the best season of his career last year, center Alex Len of the Atlanta Hawks is setting his sights on an even loftier goal in the 2019-20 season.

Per a recent story by Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, one of Len’s trainers has set a rather inspiring goal for Len in what will be his seventh season in the league:

According to Kirschner’s story, one of his trainers asked Len what his goal was and Len responded with he wanted to be the Most Improved Player in the NBA next season. Of course, he was aiming for being an All-Star in his seventh season by averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds.

Indeed, if Len were to up his production to, say, the levels that John Collins reached last season, he will be in good position to take home Most Improved Player honors at the NBA awards.

Of course, Len’s 2018-19 campaign with the Atlanta Hawks was the best of his career by far, as he played in a career-high 77 games and produced a career-highs in scoring on the back of a newfound three-pointer that should help Len stay in the NBA for years to come. He will also likely be the team’s starting center on day one next season.

Beyond that, Len was the beneficiary of some sterling passes from Trae Young and benefited from playing alongside the vertical spacing threat of John Collins and the perimeter spacing of Kevin Huerter.

Where Len really needs to improve is as a finisher around the rim. Though he shot 55.4 percent on two-pointers last season, anyone who watched the Atlanta Hawks last season were let down by Len’s “softness” around the rim – especially compared to his mammoth 7-foot-1, 250-pound frame and 7-foot-4 wingspan. If he would just go up a bit stronger, he would be nearly unstoppable.

Next season will certainly be an interesting one for the Atlanta Hawks Alex Len, and it’s good that he’s set his sights so high for 2019-20.