During a recent episode of the Warriors Plus Minus podcast, Kevon Looney sat down with host Tim Kawakami to discuss his experiences with the team, who suggested that a preference for Quinten Post might have played a role in his trade. Kevon responded candidly, saying, “I wouldn’t say that, Quinn’s my guy, but it was anybody but me it seemed like. They’re (Warriors) not giving me the chance to really let me do what I do.”

Despite appearing in 76 games in the 2024-25 NBA season, Kevon Looney saw a significant reduction in his playing time. Reflecting on this situation, he admitted when he began sensing a lack of trust from the franchise. “Like, even this year, probably in the playoffs. We’re going against Steven Adams. This is what I do. They’re not giving me the chance to really let me do what I do. It’s like, alright, y’all don’t trust me. I thought y’all would trust me.”

After joining the New Orleans Pelicans, Stephen Curry reached out with a heartfelt message, posting on his Instagram Story: “Forever a legend Toon.” The duo shared 233 games and achieved an impressive win rate of 60.1%, as reported by RealGM. However, his move to the Pelicans offers an opportunity to regain the spotlight on the court, something that might have been elusive under Steve Kerr’s leadership with the Warriors.

Following his departure from the team, the franchise hopes to close on the arrival of Al Horford, who left the Boston Celtics as a free agent to cover Looney’s void. The 39-year-old veteran has managed to remain one of the league’s most intelligent players at his position, averaging 9 points and 6.2 rebounds in the 2024-25 season.

According to Marc Spears, the franchise aimed to finalize his arrival last week. However, the interest from the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Atlanta Hawks delayed the process. Now, he is even contemplating retirement as a possible option.

Despite this, the franchise might still pursue signing another big man to the roster as Kerr expressed his reluctance to deploy Draymond Green as a center again, hinting that he will pursue a different role in the starting lineup.

The player officially moving on from the Warriors is Kevon Looney, who entered free agency this offseason and was unlikely to receive a new deal to stay with Curry. He is reportedly finalizing a two-year contract with the Pelicans.

“Free agent center Kevon Looney has agreed to a two-year, $16 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, sources tell ESPN. Life Sports Agency CEO Todd Ramasar and the Pelicans reached a deal tonight for the three-time NBA champion who departs Golden State after 10 years,” reported Shams Charania on X.

Curry Must Move Forward Without Looney

It’s true that Looney left a significant mark on the Warriors franchise, and Curry will likely miss him. However, the team must move forward and find a player to fill that void. An ideal candidate could be Al Horford, as suggested by Ohm Youngmisuk on ESPN.

Pelicans Gain Veteran Experience

Looney could provide Williamson and the Pelicans with a valuable injection of experience on the roster. He’s a player who has navigated injuries and was a key part of a three-championship dynasty with the Warriors – no easy feat. He has consistently been the perfect bench player to support his team.

With just a few weeks left in the regular season, Kerr emphasized the importance of playing at their highest level every night to position themselves for a deep postseason run. He also acknowledged that Butler’s arrival has injected much-needed confidence into the squad.

“Hopefully, what it does is shift the confidence,” Kerr said. “And I think that was the reason for the trade. We seemed to be stuck in the mud, and it’s nobody’s fault. Sometimes, a team just runs its course. At the time of the trade, Mike [Dunleavy] sensed that we were treading water and not getting anywhere. So sometimes, you make a move just to shake things up, create confidence, and build momentum. That was the idea behind bringing in Jimmy.”

Kerr went on to highlight Butler’s impact in high-pressure situations, particularly referencing his success with the Miami Heat. “He has that type of presence and swagger. He’s taken two Miami teams to the Finals as huge underdogs. They came out of the Play-In and made a run. We may find ourselves in the same spot. It’s going to be tough to get to the sixth seed, but we’re going to fight like hell to do it. But if we do end up in the Play-In, he’s exactly the kind of guy you want in a Game 7 or a win-or-go-home situation. You need alphas like him, great players like him.”

Podziemski: Butler brings a new level of confidence

Butler’s influence has already changed the Warriors’ energy, according to second-year guard Brandin Podziemski. The young rising star believes Butler has provided exactly what the team was missing.

“I think there’s just a little bit more belief now,” Podziemski said after practice on Thursday. “With Jimmy’s career accomplishments and the kind of player and person he is, everyone has ramped up their sense of urgency. He’s an All-Defensive Team guy, an All-Star—those things matter. It just feels like there’s more intensity and focus now.”

Butler’s leadership style is a refreshing addition, differing from that of veterans Draymond Green and Stephen Curry. He has also made it clear that he’s eager to form strong bonds with some of the team’s younger players, particularly Jonathan Kuminga.

Looney: “It’s go time” for Warriors’ final stretch

Kevon Looney, a key veteran of the Warriors dynasty, also acknowledged the urgency of the moment. He echoed Kerr’s aspirations for a strong finish and emphasized the team’s determination to climb the standings.

“Definitely, it’s go time,” Looney said. “Coach has talked about this final stretch being a sprint. We’re trying to get out of the Play-In and secure a top-six spot. We feel like we’re capable, but we have to put together wins and avoid beating ourselves with mistakes. We’ve got to be really sharp the rest of the way.”

Looney is confident in the team’s ability to make a push. “That’s our goal,” he continued. “We have the talent, the players, and the coaches to do it. Now it’s about execution. Can we go out there and take care of business? That’s the challenge.”

Looney, a three-time NBA champion with Golden State, made one thing clear: the ultimate goal remains the same. “Winning a championship has been my goal every year since I’ve been here. Nothing has changed.”

Head coach Steve Kerr will have to rebuild—not from scratch, but by integrating new additions such as Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson, and De’Anthony Melton. Looney made it clear what the team needs to focus on for a strong start to the season:

“The biggest thing is communicating. Communicating what is new, what we’re used to. You got some new guys, and we kind of do some new schemes on defense and offense. Having communication that we’re all on the same page is important,” Looney said on Sunday.

The center also recalled the methodology the Warriors had on past years. “We used to thrive on chaos in the past where it was more kind of random and we could do whatever. We just knew how to read off each other,” he said. “It was kind of an unspoken thing that we had. But to start the season off with the new group, new faces, different lineups, we need to be on the same page. You got to talk it out,” he ended.

For the Warriors to remain competitive in the NBA, it’s crucial for the players to recognize the need to adapt. Looney, who has been with the team since being drafted in 2015, embodies the right mentality for this transition, and his leadership alongside Curry will be key for the rest of the roster.

Coach Kerr backs Looney’s message

In the same wavelength as Looney, Steve Kerr acknowledge that the chaotic playstyle that once defined the Warriors is no longer sustainable: “We can’t count on chaos anymore given the way the rest of the league is playing, the lineups that we see, the switching defenses, our roster now compared to where we were five, six years ago. We have had to make some changes, and we’re in the midst of that.”

Kerr’s most challenging season with the Warriors

Concerns have mounted among Warriors fans, especially after Curry was sidelined in the preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers due to a sprained finger. Although Kerr assured that Curry would be ready for the season opener, the absence of both Curry and Thompson could pose a significant challenge throughout the season.

Kerr also highlighted the difficulty of integrating the new signings into the team. “The hardest thing for everybody this year – coaches and players – is that right now I would say we’ve got 13 players who look like they’re rotation players to me,” Kerr said last week.

Paul didn’t seem too keen on the idea of being brought off the bench. He’s always been a starter, and as a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, it’s easy to understand his frustration.

But the Warriors already had a starting lineup and a starting point guard in Stephen Curry, so adding Paul to that mix would likely send Kevon Looney to the bench. Should that happen, the Warriors could make bizarre NBA history.

Warriors Could Have The Shortest Starting Lineup In Over 50 Years

“Kendra Andrews of ESPN noted a starting group of Paul, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green would give the Warriors the first starting lineup of players 6’7″ or shorter since the 1970s Baltimore Bullets,” wrote Bleacher Report’s Tyler Conway.

Coach Kerr recently said that he has ‘six starters’ but he can obviously start five players; that’s it. Truth be told, it would make way more sense to have Chris Paul running the second unit.

Of course, that doesn’t mean he couldn’t — and likely shouldn’t — be in the closing lineup. But from that, to give up that much size instead of staggering his minutes doesn’t make a lot of sense.

That’s why most people speculated that Paul would have to come off the bench to find success in the Bay area. However, he didn’t seem so receptive at first, and it seems like they’ll wait until training camp to figure things out.

But if he plays his way into the starting lineup with Stephen Curry, that means someone else has got to go. According to James Salmon of ClutchPoints, that guy might as well be veteran big man Kevon Looney.

Chris Paul Could Force Kevon Looney To The Bench

“The most traditional of point guards replacing the Warriors center is, on face value, a strange move, but it’s the most likely one that Steve Kerr will opt for. As mentioned, he’s certainly not sending Curry or Thompson to the bench, and Wiggins has become a really valuable member of their starting lineup too. That leaves Green and Kevon Looney, and Green’s certainly not going anywhere either,” wrote Salmon.

Looney has been a major factor in the team’s recent success, and he’d still continue to have a prominent role off the bench, assuming Steve Kerr actually pulls this off.

Needless to say, that’s going to hurt the Warriors’ size significantly, but it might be the only way they’re able to have Chris Paul and Stephen Curry in the starting lineup.

Of course, there were some big changes within the organization anyway. With longtime general manager Bob Myers no longer in the Bay area, promoted GM Mike Dunleavy has already made tough decisions such as trading Jordan Poole.

While the Dubs also lost some rotational players, their roster has pretty much the same core than in the championship season two years ago. In fact, the Warriors still count on the player Green considers the most professional teammate he’s ever had.

Draymond Green praises Kevon Looney’s professionalism

“I think the best compliment I can give him is he is the most professional person, player, you name it, I have ever worked with,” Green said of Kevon Looney in an appearance on Podcast P with Paul George presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment, via ClutchPoints. “Never late. Never give anyone anything to get mad about, upset, complain about. Doesn’t complain about anything. Does his job plus some.”

Looney should definitely be proud about this, especially when it comes from a player of Green’s caliber. No one at the Warriors seem to take anything for granted, which is why this is even more impressive.

The incident ocurred at practice put the team in shambles, as one of its veteran players suddenly had an unacceptable behavior with one of the youngest members of the roster. Green apologized for his actions, but the incident still made a lot of noise.

Golden State ultimately decided to fine but notsuspend Green, and now things look cooler after a turbulent week. According to Steve Kerr, there’s a player who deserves credit for keeping the team together.

Steve Kerr praises Kevon Looney for his role on the Draymond Green situation

“Loon is incredible,” Kerr said about Kevon Looney, via Heavy.com. “This guy has so much wisdom. He’s so quiet that if you don’t pay attention, you may not realize it. He has become the moral compass of our team. He’s a special human being. Special. And he was a key instrument in everything that we’ve had going the last week to try to get things back on track. I’ll ride with Loon forever. This is a special man.”

Kerr also noted the altercation was the toughest situation he’s had to deal with during his time at the helm of the Dubs, which is why he appreciates Looney’s role in the past week. Now it’s time to turn the page together.

“This is the biggest crisis that we’ve had since I’ve been the coach here,” Kerr said, via ESPN. “It’s really serious stuff. We’re not perfect. … But we’re going to lean on the experience that we have together and trust that this is the best decision for our team. We have a lot of work to do. All of us.”

After not being able to establish himself as a starter due to problems with his recently surgically repaired hip, Looney finished off his second rookie season with only five games played. In fact, afterwards he wasn’t able to play for another 15 months, bounced back and forth between trainning sessions with the D League team.

Then, he was a regular rotation player for the next couple of seasons for the Warriors. However, it was until the 2019-20 season when he regularly played as a starter under Steve Kerr’s management. For the 2021-22 season, due to the lack of options in the Warriors’ squad, Looney got himself a starting role for the Dubs.

Kevon Loney’s contract

According to thespecialized site Spotrac, Kevon Looney signed a 3-year deal worth$25,500,000with the Golden State Warriors. This dealincludes $25,500,000 guaranteed, and an annual average salary of $8,500,000. For the2022-23 NBA season,Looney will earn a base salary of $7,870,370.

Kevon Looney’s net worth

According to several specialized websites, Kevon Looney currently is worth $6million dollars. He clinched his thirdNBA championship with the Warriors, so his net worth escalated quickly. Also, because he was key for Steve Kerr’s gameplan in the paint.