Golden State Warriors big man Kevon Looney will return to the rotation on Saturday against the Cleveland Cavaliers after missing the last 18 games.
Looney will come off the bench with a minutes restriction, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic:
Kevon Looney is expected to return from his 18-game absence tonight. Coming off the bench and there’s a 20-minute limit.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) February 1, 2020
Looney has been another featured face on Golden State's injury caravan throughout this season. The 23-year-old has played in just 10 games this year due to abdominal soreness as well as a neuropathic condition that forced him to miss all of training camp.
The Warriors signed Looney to a three-year, $14 million deal this summer, and he was supposed to anchor the frontcourt alongside Willie Cauley-Stein.
Of course, nothing has worked out quite like the Warriors hoped this year. Klay Thompson was already likely to miss the entire season. Stephen Curry suffered a broken left hand in his fourth game. Draymond Green and D'Angelo Russell have been in and out of the rotation. And Cauley-Stein? Well, he plays for Dallas now.
Nevertheless, the Warriors will be encouraged by Looney's return, though there still seems to be a bit of confusion as to whether his condition and the abdominal issue are related (via Logan Murdock of NBC Sports Bay Area):
When asked if the two injuries were related, Kerr declined to respond.
“It's really something I'd rather not expand on,” he said. “Just because I don't have enough grasp on it.”
Naturally, Golden State figures to ease Looney back into things. The Warriors are the worst team in the NBA at 10-39, and there is no real reason to push the envelope particularly considering Looney's condition.
That said, it is still an important step for him to get back on the floor and see adequate run.
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