SAN FRANCISCO – The Kevon Looney saga continues but with diminishing optimism. The Warriors officially have reached the worry stage.
Looney was ruled out Thursday against the Raptors, the third consecutive game he has missed due to lingering soreness in his left hip.
“That’s a concern,” coach Steve Kerr said prior to tipoff at Chase Center.
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Looney, who underwent separate surgeries on each hip in his first two NBA seasons, has missed 42 games this season – more than double the number of games missed over the last two seasons combined – and has averaged only 13.1 minutes in the 20 games he was available.
Looney has been coping with persistent neuropathy, which has resulted in discomfort in his right hamstring, left abdominal area and left hip. Not once this season has the forward/center played in more than seven consecutive games but there was optimism after playing five straight at the end of February.
“He had some momentum and was playing really well for us,” Kerr said. “So, this is a bump in the road, hopefully, but we’ll have an update tomorrow.”
Over the five-game stretch from Feb. 20-29, Looney averaged 5.0 points (11-of-28 shooting from the field), 4.0 rebounds and 17.4 minutes.
Golden State Warriors
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This has been a trying season for Looney, who turned 24 last month. After playing in 80 games last season and 66 in 2017-18, both he and the team had hoped he was beyond his hip issues.
And now, once again, there is legitimate reason for caution.