The Lakers signed Kevon Looney to a veteran's minimum contract during the offseason to serve as a backup center. The Golden State Warriors already knew how that would go, and the Lakers realized it less than one week into the season.
Looney is averaging 7.3 minutes per game with Los Angeles, 2.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.8 fouls. He played just five minutes in the Lakers' loss to the Trail Blazers on Tuesday, during which he committed two fouls. That's all — zero rebounds, zero points, just two fouls. Oh, with a plus-minus of -8.
It's already gotten to the point where, even in his short stints with the Los Angeles team, it's noticeably bad. The Lakers tried to avoid this situation by beefing up their frontcourt depth (subscription required) before finalizing their roster, as Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that they discussed a Dalton Knecht-for-Jericho Sims trade with the Bucks.
For now, Los Angeles is stuck riding it out with Looney in what's already turned into a very limited role. The Lakers can only hope it stays that way, so they won't have to push the center into a role he can no longer play if Walker Kessler misses time.
Lakers can't rely on Kevon Looney
Looney, 30, is a strong veteran presence with championship experience. But he's not a player who can play regular minutes on a team that's trying to contend for a championship. He lacks the speed and athleticism to keep up, which doesn't help a Los Angeles defense that's already struggling.
And speaking of struggling, the Warriors are without Kristaps Porziņġis, their starting center, who may not return. Golden State is stuck trying to figure out that situation at the start of the season, and if you've already reached the point where you wish Looney were around to help, the Lakers are your reminder that the front office was right to move on, as tough as it was to see him go.
Looney appeared in only 21 games for the Pelicans last season, and New Orleans declined his $8 million option over the offseason, which paved the way for him to sign with Los Angeles. The move didn't make much sense for the Lakers from the start, and unfortunately, it's only proven even more true in every game he plays.
In Looney's defense, Los Angeles' expectations for him were unrealistic. He's not even a stopgap backup center option. He's more of a player who coaches can turn to if another player gets injured and the team needs an answer in a pinch.
It would be nice to see Looney start turning things around, since it's not satisfying to watch him struggle, even for the Lakers. But that would probably be asking too much, considering JJ Redick is already playing him sparingly.
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