Veteran center Kevon Looney has spent his entire 10-year NBA career with Golden State, but he will be a free agent this summer after earning $8MM in 2024/25. If it were up to him, Looney says he would stick with the Warriors, as Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN relays (via Twitter).
“I hope the feeling is mutual,” Looney said. “… They expressed (interest in a reunion) but it’s the NBA. There’s a lot of time until free agency starts. Let’s see what happens.”
The 30th pick of the 2015 draft, Looney has mostly played a part-time role off the bench during his time in Golden State. That was the case again this season, with the 6’9″ big man averaging 4.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 76 regular season contests (15.0 minutes per game).
Looney, who posted a .514 FG% and .566 FT% during the regular season, saw his role reduced in the playoffs, averaging 2.2 PPG and 3.6 RPG in 10.0 MPG across 12 appearances. He made 10 of his 23 field goal attempts (.435%) in the playoffs and .750% of his free throws (6-of-8).
In an appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link), ESPN’s Bobby Marks said another impending free agent center, Brook Lopez, is worth keeping an eye on for the Warriors.
“Stanford grad, makes his home in Fresno,” Marks said. “What is the number on a Brook Lopez type-contract if you can get him on a one-year flier here to patch up that center position?
“Because the center market is thin. When you look at Myles Turner, you’re probably not going to be able to afford him. The next-best guy out there is Brook Lopez.”
I dont know, I kinda want to see Looney free from Steve Kerr’s madness. Same for Moody and Kuminga tbh.
Looney is in a totally different situation from Kuminga especially but also Moody. Guys who only play center and who don’t either protect the rim well or score don’t play much, if at all, for other teams in the league. He knows that and if the Warriors offer him another $8MM/yr contract he would be crazy not to take it.
Yeah I dont think he will have a lot of money on the table regardless, but I just want to see him play on a different system.
The point is that he can’t play in a different system. Unless he re-discovers the 3 point shot that he had at UCLA he won’t play meaningful minutes in any other system that is currently used at any other team. I mean, name a center for another team who doesn’t score and doesn’t protect the rim…
He isnt a rim protector but he is still a pretty good defender and a great rebounder. I think he will have the interest of multiple teams for the minimum. Also isnt a bad scorer in the pnr and can pass in the short roll too, he def has a spot in other teams. Detroit would be nice.
Prediction: The Warriors will offer Looney the minimum and he will take it.
The hate for Kerr is just preposterous smh just shows the lack of knowledge people have for the game
He would average 3 points instead of 4.
Bravo, I’m mostly with you.
There are definitely a few young Warriors players who’d fit better elsewhere (like you say)…Moody, Kuminga, TJD.
Looney is more valuable to GSW than to any other team because he knows Kerr’s system. As an undersized C, the trend to bigger C’s league-wide works against him.
I think there will be minimal interest in Looney around the league at price over the minimum.
Noooooooooooooooooooo
Minimum salary, sure. Buddy and GP2 also want back in.
Buddy Hield is under contract for next year at $9MM.
My bad I believe he said he wanted to be a warrior for life. Good luck with that.
Looney goes to another team and scores 8 points a night.
Looney’s lack of size and scoring is why they are sitting at home right now. No thanks but YES PLEASE to Brook Lopez
Looney might not even have an NBA job next year. What good is he to anyone at this point in his career?
Looney signed a home team discount 3 yrs ago. He will sign min vet but deserves 2 yr security.
He can go get that security from Portland
OUT
Looney
Payton II
IN
Lopez
Melton
Count me in on Brook Lopez if Milwaukee tears it down. Stretch 5. Perfect complement to Draymond, Jimmy, and, if he’s around, Kuminga.
Perfect place for him to spend the last 2 years of his career. From Fresno, Stanford alum.
I’ve been saying that for awhile now. It would be even better if Maxime dropped to the Warriors. But, I’ll take Konan.
Michol, Agreed. 2 years at the min, or slightly above, feels like a win-win.
Even if he’s the 3rd C on the roster, he’ll win us a 2-3 games a year.
It would be wonderful if the Warriors had a center who could contribute offensively AND defensively. Post may become that person, but Lopez would be a great addition for the next year or two.
Post needs to add 30 pounds and then he will be better at stopping scoring bigs, he got pushed around too easily by the 250+ lb bigs.
That said, he can go in a trade if needed. Steph needs a balanced team where every player is good defensively and offensively. Post’s defense isn’t too bad, but ultimately anyone should evaluated to see if they even fit on a truly balanced team around Steph that knows how to score without him.
EM41 , Post’s defense is always going to be a huge liability in the PnR. And, like DaveyJ says, he’s too light to bang with real NBA bigs.
There will be matchups where those problems are not exposed, so he’s worth having on the roster. But he’ll never be a starting C on a contending team.
If we’d made it to the next round against Denver or OKC, he might not have seen the floor.
Brook Lopez still lives in Fresno? I definitely would not have guessed that. He would be great with Post. He is only a rookie. It takes at least 3 years for them to develop. That’s the rule.
I still don’t understand why people think the Kerr doesn’t want a 7-footer like Jokic. You either don’t follow the Warriors, or have issues. Most of the 7-footers aren’t worth it. The few that are worth it will come at a steep cost.
Just look at Jaxson Hayes with the Lakers. Desperate team with no center, 7-footer. And some Lakers fans talked themselves into him due to said desperation.
The end result? You can’t put lipstick on a (bad) big. No about of desperation turns a retread-level player into a worthy rotation player.
sheagoodbye, it’s a good point that few C’s are worthwhile.
IMO, to acquire a C that could help, GSW needs to spend money and/or assets. Naz Reid is a UFA but he’ll likely cost $25-$30M. Brook Lopez is also a UFA, and would likely cost $15M.
W’s have always been averse to spending money on C’s. When the game is on the line, Kerr wants Draymond at the 5, and that means that contract is sitting on the bench.
The warriors need players that work in their system, and it’s very hard to find bigs that do. The kids here hating on Kerr weren’t around for the days of Bogut and Mobuckets, Zaza… etc..
Dubs need a Miles Turner. Looney is boring.
Rumor has it that Turner can be had for a 3rd round pick in 2099. The Pacers would jump at that.
@Farcry
No kidding. Too bad it will never happen.
Lopez will be 38 years old. How about a sign and trade for 29 year old Myles Turner? We give up Kuminga and TJD. And then resign Looney for a minimum contract, and still stay under the cap.
Warriors will do this trade but it’s the Pacers who will be hesitant. They already have all the pieces for Title, why would they want to ruin the chemistry?
RamboDave, the number don’t work.
In a sign-and-trade involving a rookie extension, only 1/2 the value of that contract can come back. So, if Kuminga signs for $30M, he can bring only $15M of players back in return.
(As you imply) Turner will likely get something like $35M.
anybody who says looney has value on a roster other than golden state is delusional dudes been carried along his entire career if not for being a warrior his career wouldn’t have lasted more than 2 seasons ya whack jobs