Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney is set to become an unrestricted free agent on June 30th and the Houston Rockets are looking to strike a deal with the four-year big man out of UCLA, per Marc Stein of the New York Times.
The Rockets have a free-agent recruitment session arranged for Sunday with Warriors center Kevon Looney, league sources say.
Looney only averaged 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game throughout the entire 2018-19 season in Golden State. While his numbers do not jump out the window, Looney has gradually improved since being selected 30th overall by the Warriors in the 2015 NBA Draft.
In fact, Looney held his ground as a regular rotation player for the Warriors in spite of DeMarcus Cousins' presence. His ability to keep up with defenders especially on switches proved vital to his team's cause. According to Stein, head coach Steve Kerr even lauded him as a “foundational piece” for the team.
The Warriors' No. 1 free agent concern is obviously convincing Kevin Durant to re-sign amid heavy interest from the Knicks, Clippers and Nets … but you'll recall Coach Steve Kerr referred to Looney as a “foundational piece” during the playoffs.
In Houston, the Rockets have long been rumored as major players this free agency period. Jimmy Butler's name has been prominently connected with the team, with a sign-and-trade as a viable option in securing the All-Star swingman's services.
However, Clint Capela, who is owed almost $15 million next season, has been floated around in the rumor mill as a trade piece that Houston is willing to give up to land a big fish. Looney, who earned $1.5 million last season, should get a significant bump in salary but is expected to remain a decently-priced option for the Rockets in the event Capela gets dealt.
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