The Philadelphia 76ers boast one of, if not the most formidable lineup in the NBA ahead of next season, but one area where they are still a tad more susceptible is the center position off the bench. They have numerous options to fill that role, but if they fumble the bag in the upcoming campaign, the team could turn to veteran big man Kevon Looney, now with the Lakers, as a low-cost trade target in the middle of the season.
Looney, a three-time NBA champion with the Warriors in 2017, 2018, and 2022, signed with the Lakers this offseason after a one-year stint with the Pelicans. However, despite his ample experience as a veteran, he is currently not expected to be a major rotation piece for Los Angeles. That makes him a likely candidate to be moved before the deadline.
The 76ers could target Lakers' Kevon Looney as a low-cost trade target
After pulling off a major trade for Walker Kessler and signing highly coveted forward Sandro Mamukelashvili in free agency, the Lakers basically have their center rotation set. At the present, Looney is slotted in as their third-string big man, which means that for the most part, he will not be getting a lot of minutes.
The direct consequence of that, of course, is that he will not cost a lot to trade for. That leaves room for a team like the 76ers to have an easy time striking a deal for the veteran.
Philadelphia does not necessarily have a dearth of options off the bench to relieve Joel Embiid. However, after losing Andre Drummond, they no longer have a proven option to anchor their second unit. Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, Ariel Hukporti, and Jabari Walker are all inexperienced big men who might not be reliable enough to spell the former MVP in high-stakes outings.
Looney has a red flag in that he is coming off an injury-plagued campaign, but he is someone who barely missed games before last season. As such, his Pelicans stint could be considered an aberration when it comes to his availability.
The veteran big man offers no scoring edge, but he is an established big man especially proficient in securing offensive boards, setting robust picks, and finding open teammates. That is a good combination to have for a player who will not be expected to register minutes, but whose appearances will be critical. Thus, Kevon Looney should be a good, under-the-radar midseason pickup for the 76ers if the need to fortify their center rotation rages on.
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