Looney enters his third NBA season as still somewhat of an unknown commidity, with hip injuries having effectively made his rookie campaign a redshirt one and the loaded Warriors roster having left him with limited opportunities to pick up playing time in 2016-17. After the 6-foot-9 Looney added muscle last summer and stood out with his rebounding in the preseason, the Warriors were optimistic that he would stake his claim to a regular rotation role, but inconsistent performances early on along with the team's ample frontcourt depth mostly made him an afterthought by the time the second half of the season arrived. Looney, a first-round pick in 2015, still has some upside due to his youth (he'll turn 22 in February) and pedigree, but he's at a point in his development timeline where he'll need to provide the Warriors with tangible evidence that he's deserving of a place in their long-term plans. With the team re-signing Kevin Durant and David West, bringing in Omri Casspi via free agency and drafting athletic big man Jordan Bell in the second round, Looney looks like he could remain on the outs for a rotation spot entering training camp.

Looney was Golden State's first addition to its championship roster when he was selected 30th overall in the 2015 draft. The 19-year-old played one season at UCLA, where he served mainly as a power forward. He started strong for the Bruins before cooling off as the season progressed. That makes you wonder if his conditioning needs improvement. Most of his scoring came via the hustle play – off the offensive glass, pick-and-rolls, cuts, and transition finishes. There's some potential for him to be a floor spacer as he made 42 percent of his three-pointers (22-for-53), but that's a small sample. The range becomes suspect when looking at his 63-percent free-throw shooting. He's rangy with a 7-foot-3 wing span, can challenge shots at the perimeter, and has a feel for rebounding, but his frame isn't sturdy enough to defend the low post. That's okay for now as he's young enough to develop. He played well in the summer league, but a hip condition that plagued him in college and red-flagged Looney in draft circles flared up, necessitating surgery. He'll miss the first half of the season at the very least.