The Los Angeles Lakers have won six of their first eight games, but Kevon Looney is already disappearing from their rotation.
Looney recorded his fourth consecutive coach’s decision DNP in Monday’s 138-117 victory over the Miami Heat. Meanwhile, newly signed two-way center Lawson Lovering played the final 1:22.
That contrast wasn’t lost on Lakers analyst Jovan Buha, who believes Lovering is already a better option than the three-time NBA champion.
During his “Buha’s Block” postgame livestream, Buha said he reached that conclusion after watching roughly 90 seconds of Lovering’s film.
“It took me a minute and a half to come to that conclusion,” Buha said.
Jovan Buha Questions Kevon Looney’s Athleticism
Buha delivered an even harsher assessment while discussing Jarred Vanderbilt’s emergence as a small-ball center.
“I think just by virtue of not being Kevon Looney, it’s an upgrade,” Buha said.
He questioned whether Looney still meets the NBA’s minimum physical demands.
“Looney is just below the baseline level of competence of playable NBA athleticism,” Buha said.
Buha pointed specifically to Looney’s declining mobility and quickness, two areas where Vanderbilt offers an advantage.
The numbers reflect Looney’s shrinking role.
Through eight games, Looney has appeared just four times, averaging 2.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 7.3 minutes. He played 15 minutes in the season opener but totaled only 15 across his next three appearances.
His last appearance came Oct. 27 against Portland.
Lakers Have Backup Center Problem Behind Walker Kessler
With Looney out of the rotation, JJ Redick has turned to Sandro Mamukelashvili and Vanderbilt behind starting center Walker Kessler.
Mamukelashvili contributed 13 points in nearly 28 minutes against Miami. Vanderbilt played six minutes, while Kessler anchored the paint with 15 points and 15 rebounds.
Lovering, who signed Oct. 28, grabbed one rebound in mop-up duty.
Neither Mamukelashvili nor Vanderbilt, however, offers the traditional size and rim protection of a dependable backup center.
That concern has Buha questioning another offseason decision.
Jovan Buha Questions Deandre Ayton Trade
The Lakers traded Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards in July for Jaden Hardy and two future second-round picks after acquiring Kessler.
Buha believes that move could ultimately prove costly if Los Angeles fails to turn those assets into frontcourt help.
He said the trade cannot be fully evaluated until the Lakers decide what to do with Hardy and the draft picks.
If Los Angeles keeps those assets without addressing its backup center weakness, Buha said the front office will have made a clear miscalculation.
He suggested the Lakers could have retained Ayton, found a way to keep Jaxson Hayes or pursued another big man in the trade.
Buha called backup center the team’s biggest roster hole, citing the absence of a reliable option who can handle 10 to 15 minutes nightly.
He also noted Mamukelashvili’s defensive limitations against bigger, more physical opponents.
The Lakers have time to address the issue before the February trade deadline.
For now, Looney’s four straight DNPs suggest Redick has already moved on from the veteran as his primary backup center.
Whether Rob Pelinka follows with another move could determine how costly the Ayton trade ultimately becomes.
Lakers Analyst Rips Kevon Looney, Makes Bold Claim About New Signing