Lakers agree with ex-Warrior Kevon Looney on 1-year, $3.9 million deal

The Lakers landed their backup center to Walker Kessler, coming to an agreement with 30-year-old veteran Kevon Looney on a one-year, $3.9 million contract, a league source familiar with the situation but was unauthorized to speak publicly, confirmed to the Southern California News Group.

ESPN first reported Looney and the Lakers striking a deal.

Looney, a three-time NBA champion who spent the first decade of his NBA career with the Warriors before playing sporadically for the New Orleans Pelicans last season, is no stranger to Los Angeles. Looney played one season at UCLA from 2014-2015. The 6-foot-9 big man earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors for the Bruins before the Warriors selected him in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft.

Last week, the Lakers agreed to a sign-and-trade to acquire Kessler (also coming to terms on a four-year, $130 million deal) from the Utah Jazz and traded Deandre Ayton – who started at center last season – to the Washington Wizards. Jaxson Hayes, who served as the backup center for the Lakers a year ago, agreed to a two-year contract with the Jazz in free agency. Looney and another incoming signing for the Lakers, Sandro Mamukelashvili (on a four-year, $52 million contract), will likely platoon behind Kessler; with Looney likely stepping in for defensive-focused lineups.

None of the Lakers signings, including the re-signing of Austin Reaves to a four-year, $185 million maximum contract, have become official despite the free agent moratorium ending on Monday morning.

New Orleans declined the team option it held for Looney for the 2026-27 season before free agency began. Looney, who will earn a veteran’s minimum contract with the Lakers, played 21 games for the Pelicans because of injuries and availability issues, averaging just 2.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. The brute big man with a 7-4 wingspan has never been known for his scoring acumen as a pro, more valued for his rebounding prowess. In the 2022-23 season for the Warriors, one of two regular seasons when he appeared in all 82 regular-season games, Looney averaged a career-high 9.3 rebounds and 3.3 offensive rebounds per game.

Over 11 NBA seasons, Looney has averaged 4.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Looney will take up the 14th roster spot on the Lakers, as of Tuesday afternoon, with multiple reports pointing to free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga as their target for the final roster spot. But signing Kuminga would likely require opening up additional salary cap space, something the Lakers could accomplish through expanding their sign-and-trade for Kessler, or joining another yet-to-become-official trade to shed contracts such as forward Jarred Vanderbilt (about $25 million remaining over two years).

Looney was often used in the pick-and-roll game for the Warriors, setting screens for the likes of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, and he will likely serve a similar role off the bench for the Lakers. Luka Doncic now has two new lob threats to work with next season in Kessler and Looney.