The Lakers have added another body to the frontcourt mix, and this one comes with championship polish.
After sending Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards and watching Jaxson Hayes land with the Utah Jazz, Los Angeles moved to secure Kevon Looney on a one-year, $3.9 million deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The Lakers beat out the New York Knicks, who were looking for a third center to help Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond.
“Free agent center Kevon Looney has agreed on a one-year, $3.9 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers,” Charania reported Tuesday.
Looney arrives in Los Angeles with a résumé built on the little things that win minutes and, eventually, titles. The former Golden State Warriors big man is a three-time NBA champion and has long been valued for his work on the glass and his ability to function in the flow of the offense. He spent years setting screens for Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala, and that kind of experience should translate cleanly alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
“The Lakers acquire one of the top available backup centers, and Looney, a three-time NBA champion, provides experience and pick-and-roll play for Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves after all of those years running screens for Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala in the Bay Area.”
Rebounding has always been Looney’s calling card. During his run with the Warriors, the UCLA product averaged at least 10.0 rebounds per 40 minutes in every season except one, and he peaked at 16.2 boards per 40 minutes in his final year in the Bay, 2024-25.
He’s not the kind of big man who wins with burst or lateral speed, and he doesn’t profile as a versatile defender. But if the Lakers keep him in the lane where he’s strongest, the 29-year-old should have a clear path to a useful role next season with the Luka-Doncic-led Lakers.
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