Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we look at Kevon Looney.
Regardless if you agree or disagree with the Lakers’ offseason moves, all of their additions at least make sense when viewed through the lens of a new roster ideology. Well, at least, most of them.
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As each signing became official, it became clear the team prioritized getting more versatile, athletic and younger this summer.
Excluding their rookies and two-way players, the Lakers added seven new players to the roster. Six of the seven have a collective age of 26.3, which better aligns with their 27-year-old superstar, Luka Dončić.
The sole outlier in the group in both age and physical makeup is Kevon Looney.
While 30 is far from old in human years, Looney immediately is the elder statesman on the team. He has already played in 11 seasons and has more mileage on his odometer than his peers given how many postseason minutes he’s logged with the Golden State Warriors throughout his career.
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In a vacuum, Looney would be a harmless add on most benches around the league. But on a team that has invested heavily in Walker Kessler remaining healthy and productive, combined with the departure of Jaxson Hayes, the Lakers actually need Looney to contribute rather than just be a veteran presence.
Whether or not he can could be one of the more underrated storylines of the upcoming season.
What is his best-case scenario?
How much optimism you have in the Looney signing paying off likely depends on how much of last season you think could be written off.
In his first season away from the Bay, Looney appeared in just 21 games with the New Orleans Pelicans due to a combination of injuries and the team shifting toward a younger rotation.
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And when he was on the floor, Looney also looked noticeably limited. Was this due to the veteran lacking motivation on an aimless team? Or further evidence that he is on a steep decline?
If the answer for his drop-off proves to be the former, there’s a chance Looney can shore up the team’s backup center void.
Despite appearing antithetical to the team’s aforementioned ethos shift, Looney does still offer a helpful skillset and background.
For one, he is extremely nuanced operating within a 5-out, free-flowing offense thanks to his time with the Warriors. It’s an alignment that head coach JJ Redick has utilized in the past.
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Looney is also an excellent screener, a skill that could open up driving lanes and space for the team’s star backcourt. When he does touch the ball, he remains a good connecting passer and elite offensive rebounder (83rd percentile or better in his last five seasons).
While his stat sheet will never turn heads, Looney has made a career out of impacting the games on the margins.
If he can return to doing the things that made him an underrated part of the Warriors’ run, there is still a path toward him adding value.
What is his worst-case scenario?
If Looney’s short time with the Pelicans was a precursor to this stage of his career rather than a blip, there is a chance he falls out of the rotation completely.
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For as good of an intangibles player he’s been, there should still remain question marks about how he fits on the roster tangibly.
On offense, Looney is nowhere near the lob threat or finisher that Doncic craves from his bigs.
The veteran has converted just 63.5% of his shots at the rim over the last two seasons. It’s a woefully low number, and in comparison to Jaxson Hayes (who never shot worse than 79% at the rim during his tenure with the Lakers), the stylistic drop-off could end up being severe.
Beyond his limitations in the half court, there should also be concerns about how he fares athletically within a league that is only getting faster.
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Can he still hold up as a drop big? Perhaps. But if he’s caught on the perimeter or forced to get back in transition, he may not have enough left in the tank to hold down the fort while Kessler sits.
On that note, there is no guarantee Kessler is able to play the majority of the year. If he misses any time, whether due to foul trouble or injury, having to rely on Looney to play significant minutes could prove costly.
What is his most likely role on the team?
In an ideal world, Looney is able to turn back the clock and become the playoff-caliber member of the rotation the Lakers need.
However, that’s likely an unrealistic outcome and expectation for Looney at this stage of his career.
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Instead, a more practical outcome is that Looney is used only situationally. Whether that’s in the form of defending the post, setting a bone-crushing screen, or helping grease the wheels of the offense, his lasting impact may boil down to his veteran leadership.
As a result, the Lakers will likely have to hope Sandro Mamukelashvili can allow them to go small in the minutes Kessler is off the floor. And if not, they will be forced to find someone who can effectively fill the role Looney was expected to.
All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise stated. You can follow Alex on Bluesky at @alexregla.bsky.social.
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