San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Can Kevon Looney return to his reliable ways?
With the Warriors’ 201920 season officially done, The Chronicle is reviewing how each player fared.
Little more than a year ago, after watching center Kevon Looney post 12 points and 14 rebounds in a seriesclinching Game 4 win over Portland in the Western Conference finals, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr called Looney “one of our foundational pieces.”
Those five words were often referenced last season as Looney labored through injury after injury. Many might have struggled to reconcile how the big man missing defensive assignments, botching boxouts and grabbing his shorts was the same one who inked a threeyear, $15 million extension in July.
Instead of dismissing that signing as a mistake, the Warriors have voiced optimism that last month’s surgery to repair a core muscle injury will help Looney return to his reliable ways. Their frontcourt rotation could depend on it. Outside of Looney, the only center on the Warriors’ 202021 roster is journeyman Marquese Chriss.
But anyone who saw how out of sorts Looney looked last season shouldn’t be faulted for wondering whether his NBA career is nearing its end, much less if he can be a valuable rotation player again.
He was limited to 20 of a possible 65 games in 201920 as he dealt with a neuropathic condition in his body, left hip soreness and left abdominal soreness.
In 13.1 minutes per game, Looney averaged 3.4 points on 36.7% shooting, 3.3 rebounds and 1 assist. Opponents outscored the Warriors by an 18.3 net rating with him on the floor. According to NBA.com, that number plummeted to 7.7 when Looney sat.
The injuries made it tough for Looney to find much of a rhythm, but it also didn’t help that he had barely participated in basketball activities last summer as he recovered from a chest injury he suffered during June’s Finals.
Sitting out the entire offseason prevented him from acclimating to nine new teammates, almost all of whom settled into significant rotation roles during a lotterybound season.
Looney often appeared confused trying to adjust to newlook lineups. On numerous occasions he jogged toward spots he was used to hitting in previous seasons, only to nearly run into a teammate who was already there. With so much to learn and conditioning a problem, Looney often failed to execute the subtleties — screens, dribble handoffs, offensive rebounds — that had become his signature.
Though he already has a lengthy injury history, Looney is only 24. The recent surgery that corrected what had caused the left abdominal soreness that sidelined him for 18 games last season, as well as a ninemonth offseason, should help ensure he hasn’t peaked.
At least, that’s what the Warriors are hoping.
Offseason outlook: Looney, who is set to earn $10 million over the next two seasons, has been spotted recently on the treadmill at Golden State’s practice facility. Though the Warriors aren’t sure whether he’ll participate in minicamp this summer, they’re optimistic that he’ll be ready to play by the start of next season.
The question is what kind of shape he’ll be in. If Looney is unable to regain his title as a foundational piece, the Warriors might have to consider moving on from him.