New Golden State Warriors center Willie Cauley-Stein will miss the entirety of training camp after suffering a left foot strain during a recent workout, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. This development will give Kevon Looney, who the Warriors signed to a three-year, $15 million deal in the summer, the starting job from the onset:
“Yeah, Kevon Looney probably starts (at center),” head coach Steve Kerr confirmed as much during Monday's Media Day. “I had big plans for Looney anyway.”
Kerr noted he plans to play Looney as many minutes as he can, which should only solidify the Warriors' starting plan upon signing him to that aforementioned contract. Looney had been a sound contributor during the Warriors' recent championship run, and he is now among the veterans of this team as one of only four members who have been with the organization four years or more.
Cauley-Stein was potentially slated to be the starter, but his injury has surely changed that, which means he will now have to fight off Looney to get that spot. Looney cemented his spot in Kerr's rotation with his nose for offensive rebounds, his positioning and unselfish approach to teamwork, and doing the dirty work on both ends. If anything, the Warriors should be rather cohesive to start the season, boasting three players who have played with one another in the starting lineup.
While Cauley-Stein is out, Kerr will have a thin choice of rookie Alen Smailagic and newcomer Omari Spellman as the only big bodies who can fill in that position under Looney.
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