Deandre Ayton may never have truly wanted to be Clint Capela, even after refocusing himself down the stretch of 2025-26 for the Los Angeles Lakers. Kevon Looney is not even at the level of what Capela has been during his best years, but there will be a willingness to try from the veteran center.
With Ayton, it was complicated. There was occasional acceptance of just serving as the pick-and-roll partner for Luka Doncic, but the former first overall pick could often be found seeking more. The now exiled Lakers center wanted to be given the ball down low on more than just roll-man opportunities out of the two-man game with Luka.
Ayton infamously said in January that bigs could not feed themselves. The former Lakers starting center wanted his playmakers to get him involved and often, before somewhat cooling on that desire as the season moved forward. The buy-in on what his role should have been was inconsistent.
Looney will offer no such problems. The former Golden State Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans center has only known life as a role player. There are no delusions of grandeur that come with being a once highly-touted prospect. The new backup big man should slot in where Doncic needs him.
Kevon Looney's fit with Luka Doncic and the Lakers should be seamless
Looney has always been a strong screen setter during his time in the NBA. That will lend itself well to a pick-and-roll game with Doncic and even Austin Reaves.
Dave McMenamin even said that was part of the allure in joining Los Angeles for Looney. The Lakers reporter mentioned as much during a segment on NBA Today for ESPN.
"I spoke to someone close to him today who said that he saw it as a clear opportunity. He saw a parallel between some of the half-court sets that they're going to run. The way he can free up Luka and AR [is] the same way he freed up Klay [Thompson] and Steph [Curry] with screens."
That statement offers a refreshing change of pace from Ayton. Lakers fans were often pleading through their televisions, phone screens, or otherwise to get consistent effort and buy-in from last year's starting center. That should not be the case here with Looney.
Granted, a backup big man who is already 30 years old and aiming to stick around in the league was always going to offer more readiness in accepting the role envisioned for him. Knowing that what the Lakers had for him was something Looney actively sought out is encouraging all the same.
If the plan is to move forward with him and Walker Kessler as the main duo at center, Los Angeles will have two guys bought in on playing the brand of basketball Doncic wants to. That is a massive relief heading into next season.
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