Report: Warriors’ Kevon Looney cleared from NBA’s health and safety protocol
After missing the Golden State Warriors’ loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night, Kevon Looney has cleared the league’s health and safety protocol, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Looney joined James Wiseman and Eric Paschall in the protocol early Saturday prior to the second game of a two-game road series with the Grizzlies.
Although Looney’s stint in the health and safety protocol was short, the Warriors are still waiting on Wiseman and Paschall. After entering the protocol for contact tracing on March 17th, the players were ruled out for seven days.
According to Slater, Looney is expected to be available against the Philadelphia 76ers at Chase Center on Tuesday night.
Via @anthonyVslater on Twitter:
Kevon Looney has cleared health and safety protocol and traveled back home with the Warriors. He is expected to be available on Tuesday against the Sixers.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 21, 2021
Before entering the protocol, Loony registered one of his top performances of the 2020-21 campaign. The UCLA product tallied 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor in Golden State’s victory over the Houston Rockets. In his third double-figure scoring effort of the season, the center stepped out a knocked down a triple. Looney added four boards, three steals and three assists in Houston.
With Wiseman and Paschall remaining out, the Warriors will need to lean on Looney in the frontcourt. On Saturday against the Grizzlies, Alen Smailagic started in place of Looney, scoring three points on 1-of-5 shooting in eight minutes. With Looney back in the rotation, Smailagic will slide back to a reserve role.
