Steve Kerr not worried about how Kevon Looney will handle reduced role

Midway through the Warriors’ season, one of their most relevant hypotheticals is about an oft-overlooked role player: What if Kevon Looney hadn’t re-signed last summer?

Looney seemed destined to land a bigger contract elsewhere after emerging last season as the team’s best small-ball center. But when few franchises needed a free-agent big man, he decided to return to Golden State in July on a one-year minimum deal of $1.6 million. Over the past three months, Looney has been a stabilizing force, providing much-needed minutes in a depleted frontcourt and even starting 18 games.

With DeMarcus Cousins expected to make his Warriors debut next week, Looney is about return to the bench.