After parting ways with LeBron James, the Los Angeles Lakers have been busy with their offseason decisions. They have chosen to build around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, so they are getting some players that fit well around them and in head coach JJ Redick’s system.
While they already traded for Walker Kessler, they do need depth after sending Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards. With that need, they signed a one-year contract worth $3.9 million, which is a valuable deal for such a proven backup center.
Kevon Looney is excited to play in the Lakers’ system
Throughout his career, Looney has been known for being one of the best complementary pieces on a successful team. During his time with the Golden State Warriors, Looney was the perfect center for Steve Kerr’s system to get the most out of the likes of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Looney is a hard-working big man who will battle for loose balls and offensive rebounds. He is also quite well-versed in the pick-and-roll as the big man, which he will do plenty of playing alongside Doncic and Reaves, who are high-level pick-and-roll ball-handlers.
Championship experience matters a lot, too, as the Lakers will not have LeBron anymore. Looney might be a quiet guy, but he will bring in some veteran leadership and championship experience to a Lakers team that wants to compete for a title.
“I spoke to someone close to him today who said that he saw it as a clear opportunity. He saw a parallel between some of the half-court sets that they’re going to run. The way he can free up Luka and AR the same way he freed up Klay and Steph with screens. Multi-time champion,” Dave McMenamin said on NBA Today about the reason why Looney signed with the Lakers.
Looney might not be the flashiest name, but he always seems to get the job done. His time with the New Orleans Pelicans was unsuccessful, but he is not far removed from being one of the mainstays of that Warriors squad that won multiple championships with him playing a pivotal role.
