The Warriors will pick up the third-year option on forward Kevon Looney, according to an ESPN report.
By exercising Looney’s 2017-18 option of $1.2 million, Golden State prevents him from becoming an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
Two hip surgeries limited Looney, 20, to five games as a rookie. The 30th pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, he impressed this past preseason, averaging 4.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game. In back-to-back games last week, Looney recorded nine rebounds.
His ability to crash the glass could be key for a Warriors team that lost two of its top three rebounders, Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli, in the aftermath of the Kevin Durant signing.