The Los Angeles Lakers spent the offseason rebuilding their depth at center, landing Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz and adding veteran Kevon Looney on a separate deal. With Sandro Mamukelashvili also available for small-ball lineups, head coach JJ Redick now has multiple options in the paint.
Looney, 30, said he is eager to share the floor with Kessler after years of facing the 24-year-old rim protector.
“We can definitely control the glass,” Looney told Mark Medina of Fadeaway World. “He’s an elite shot-blocker, he can step outside and hit a three, he can catch lobs—he can do it all… Playing alongside him is going to be cool, and I think we can learn from each other.”
Limited Role in New Orleans
Looney appeared in just 21 games for the New Orleans Pelicans last season, starting eight. He averaged 2.8 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 41.7 percent from the field. The former UCLA standout believes a return to a contending environment—he won three championships with the Golden State Warriors—will help him rediscover his form.
Support for Doncic and Reaves
With LeBron James departing in free agency, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have become the Lakers’ cornerstone duo. Both Kessler and Looney are regarded as strong screen-setters, a trait Los Angeles hopes will bolster Doncic’s pick-and-roll attack and increase overall production from the center position.
“Having a rim protector behind you is always great,” Looney added. “I’ve guarded multiple positions my whole career, so I’m excited to fit into whatever Coach Redick needs.”
How Redick distributes minutes between Kessler, Looney and Mamukelashvili has yet to be determined, but the Lakers expect their revamped frontcourt to play a key role in the upcoming season.
Source: Lakers Nation
