Warriors big man Kevon Looney is expected to return to Golden State's lineup for Monday night's game versus the Atlanta Hawks, according to head coach Steve Kerr.
"Loon is scheduled to play tomorrow," Kerr said prior to Sunday's game versus the Magic. "He'll go through his work today, his treatment tomorrow morning and we'll make a decision then. But the plan is for him to play."
Looney -- who has been dealing with a neuropathic condition affecting his hamstring -- has been out of the lineup for more than a month. The big man has made progress recently and had a brief stint with the Warriors' G-League affiliate in Santa Cruz before practicing with the team in San Francisco last week.
As for Monday's game, Looney will play under a yet-to-be-determined minutes restriction.
Looney's return comes as the Warriors' battered roster is getting healthier. Guard Jacob Evans has participated in each practice during the road trip and could make his return to the lineup during the team's current five-game road trip, along with All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell.
Looney, 23, returned to practice Nov. 24. He is no longer dealing with right hamstring tightness, which stemmed from a neuropathic condition in his body that he’s had for more than two years. Over the past week, he has participated in almost every team workout, ramping up his workload as he tries to get back shape.
Getting back Looney, whose only playing time this season was a 10-minute cameo in the opener, should help stabilize the Warriors’ frontcourt. With Looney sidelined, power forwards Omari Spellman and Marquese Chriss have been Willie Cauley-Stein’s primary backups at center. Kerr expects Spellman and Chriss to go back to their more natural position when Looney returns.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who can play the four, the five,” Kerr said. “Because of the way the season has gone, because of the roster, the injuries we have, we’re playing more big lineups with four and five — traditional fours and fives together — than we probably normally do.”
