Raptors: 3 young centers that Masai Ujiri and Toronto could trade for
By Mike Luciano
No. 2: Kevon Looney, Golden State Warriors
Looney has spent the last six years with Golden State, serving as a backup and serviceable center whenever the Warriors needed a bigger force down in the post. While his poor career numbers don’t look very impressive, there is reason to believe that he could be more statistically productive with a greater role on offense.
Even in an offense that values ball movement and shooting from deep, Looney has averaged 11.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game on a per 36 minute basis. However, with No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman muscling in on Looney’s territory, he might need to find a different spot to continue his basketball career
Looney could get more offensive responsibility with Toronto than Golden State
Looney could offer a bit more than what Baynes can provide on offense, as he has been woefully underutilized. While not as good a defender as Baynes, Looney can be trusted to finish around the basket due to his array of post moves, while Baynes has struggled to finish off some of the easiest looks you’ll ever see.
With Wiseman ready to emerge as Golden State’s center for the next decade, and Juan Toscano-Anderson starting to show he can play small-ball center, Looney appears to have outlived his usefulness in Golden State, and trying to fix Toronto’s rebounding issues could give him new life in the league.