The Los Angeles Lakers have added another veteran presence to their frontcourt, agreeing to a one-year, $3.9 million contract with center Kevon Looney.
The deal comes shortly after the Lakers moved on from Deandre Ayton, with Looney expected to step into the backup center role behind the team’s newly reshaped frontcourt.
While the contract is worth $3.9 million, it is a veteran’s minimum deal and will count only $2.4 million against Los Angeles’ salary cap, giving the Lakers additional flexibility as they continue exploring upgrades elsewhere on the roster, according to ESPN.
Looney arrives after spending last season with the New Orleans Pelicans, marking the first time in his career he was not a member of the Golden State Warriors. Injuries limited the 30-year-old to just 21 appearances, where he averaged 2.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 14.7 minutes per game.
A left knee injury sidelined Looney at the beginning of the season, and after the Pelicans signed DeAndre Jordan, his opportunities became increasingly limited. From the beginning of December through the end of the campaign, Looney appeared in only 10 games before New Orleans declined his team option, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Despite an injury-plagued year, Looney remains one of the league’s more reliable rebounders and screen setters. Before arriving in New Orleans, he built a reputation as one of the NBA’s most durable players, appearing in all 82 games during both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons with Golden State. Across his final four years with the Warriors, he played at least 74 games each season.
The Lakers appear determined to improve one of their biggest weaknesses from last season: rebounding. Even in limited action, Looney posted a 16.6 percent offensive rebound rate, comfortably ahead of both Deandre Ayton at 11.5 percent and Jaxson Hayes at 10 percent.
While Looney isn’t known as a high-flying lob threat, his physicality, rebounding and experience should provide valuable depth as Los Angeles continues building its roster for another playoff push.
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