​Three-time NBA champion Kevon Looney reportedly chose the Los Angeles Lakers over a lengthy list of free-agent suitors because of the Luka Doncic factor. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Looney believes he can thrive alongside Doncic and Austin Reaves in a way that mirrors his decade-long success with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson during his years with the Golden State Warriors. “I spoke to someone close to him today who said that he saw it as a clear opportunity,” McMenamin shared on ESPN’s NBA Today earlier this week. “He saw a parallel between some of the half-court sets that they’re going to run. The way he can free up Luka and AR the same way he freed up Klay and Steph with screens. Multi-time champion.”
Looney drew interest from several other NBA title contenders, including the reigning champions, the New York Knicks, and the Boston Celtics, but ultimately opted for the Lakers. The Athletic’s Sam Amick noted that Looney felt he had the perfect chance to serve as a backup center to Walker Kessler after the Lakers traded Deandre Ayton. “While Kessler is a clear upgrade over Ayton as the starting center, the fact remains that he played just five games last season (because of a torn labrum in his left shoulder) and only 58 games the season before that. Adding Looney provides the Lakers with depth at that position, even though he is coming off an injury-riddled 2025-26 (he played only 21 games due to a left knee injury),” Amick wrote. Looney, however, has been one of the league’s most durable performers for the bulk of his career, averaging at least 74 games in each of the four prior seasons (including two full 82-game campaigns). He also brings more championship experience to the Lakers roster than anyone else currently on it.
By signing Looney to a one-year, $3.9 million deal, the Lakers utilized their 14th roster spot heading into the 2026-27 season. Typically, teams keep the 15th spot open or allocate it to a two-way player or a supplementary piece. Yet the Lakers reportedly intend to aggressively pursue a game-changing addition—potentially Jonathan Kuminga—to complete their refreshed lineup around Doncic.
McMenamin notes that the Lakers view the 15th roster slot as a crucial piece of their puzzle as they enter the new season. “There’s one empty roster spot remaining. Sometimes a team with 14 guys would prefer to keep the spot open to make a move at the trade deadline or have some optionality. That’s not the case for the Lakers. They view this final spot as a very important piece to their potential puzzle,” he explained on NBA Today. “They’re trying to pitch opportunity. ‘You will come here, you’ll play on the biggest stage in basketball and you may have to take a pay cut for a year or two but you can get back into the big dollars.’”
In addition to these developments, the Lakers are reportedly exploring moves involving Jarred Vanderbilt and Dalton Knecht in hopes of maximizing value and flexibility. The team’s plans for the final roster spot suggest a proactive, opportunistic approach as they build around the Doncic-Reaves duo with Looney providing veteran stability and frontcourt versatility.