Kevon Looney proving more than a system-player for the Golden State Warriors

In a Golden State Warriors season plagued by uncertainty and precariousness, starting center Kevon Looney continues to bring an element of reliability that’s desperately needed for the team and head coach Steve Kerr.

There’s commonly been a sense that the 26-year-old’s value is tied to the situation he’s in — that the Golden State system elevates he, and some of his teammates, in a way that other franchises wouldn’t. That no doubt contributed to Looney’s relatively team-friendly three-year, $22.5 million contract in free agency during the offseason.

While eight years at the Golden State Warriors has undoubtedly choreographed Kevon Looney’s game, the big man is showing he’s much more than just a system-player.

That much was evident when Looney, minus core teammates Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green, led from the front as an undermanned Warriors took it up to the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on Friday.

His capacity to lift when required, and his versatility to take on different roles, makes him a favorites for head coach Steve Kerr. With fellow veteran Klay Thompson struggling to find his efficiency, Looney’s presence was notable in the otherwise youthful Golden State lineup.

He fell just one assist short of his first-career triple-double, all the while battling 76ers superstar Joel Embiid. The MVP candidate had his fingerprints on the game with 34 points and 13 rebounds, but there’s no shame in that for Looney or the Warriors given it was Embiid’s sixth-straight 30+ point game, and the fact they restricted him to an inefficient 11-for-23 from the floor.

Looney showed he doesn’t need Curry, nor frontcourt partner Green, in order to impact a game positively. His partnership with Curry — predicated on handoffs and beautifully set screens — translated effectively to Jordan Poole as he had a team-high 29 points and Looney flirted with double-digit assists.

Just because Looney can’t be asked to score 15-20+ points in the absence of Curry and Wiggins, it doesn’t mean he can’t step up and bring other elements as the Warriors try and stay afloat. That starts with his leadership among the youthful roster, an aspect that continually goes under-the-radar for those outside the organization.

After Green’s indiscretion with Poole to start the season, and given Thompson and Wiggins are more your easy-going, rock up and play types, Looney might the second biggest factor, behind Curry, in driving the standards and culture of the franchise.

Having now been available for over 130 games in a row, Looney’s ongoing reliability will remain crucial as Golden State seek to turn around their season and get their championship defense back on track.