JULY 10: Looney’s return to Golden State is official, the Warriors have announced in a press statement.
JULY 1: The Warriors are bringing back a key member of their championship roster, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link), who reports that that the team has agreed to a three-year, $25.5MM deal with center Kevon Looney.
Looney enjoyed an impressive bounce-back year in 2021/22 after his previous two seasons were marred by injuries and a reduced role. He started 80 of Golden State’s 82 regular season games and averaged 6.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, and 2.0 APG in 21.1 minutes per contest while playing solid defense. His role remained steady in the postseason — he started just 13 of 22 games, but logged 20.4 MPG during the Warriors’ title run.
The 26-year-old put a stamp on a sterling contract year with his play in the NBA Finals — in six games, the Warriors outscored the Celtics by 48 points when he was on the court and were outscored by 24 points when he sat.
According to Marc Stein (Twitter link), some rival teams believed Looney might return to Golden State on a three- or four-year deal worth $10MM per year, so bringing him back at $8.5MM annually looks like a good deal for the defending champions. Additionally, the third year is only partially guaranteed for $3MM, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
The Warriors still have some work to do on their roster after striking a deal with Looney. The team has lost a pair of key rotation players so far in free agency, with Otto Porter headed to Toronto and Gary Payton II on his way to Portland.
Golden State’s projected tax bill figures to be a consideration as the team weighs its options with the taxpayer mid-level exception. According to Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype (Twitter link), the Warriors have a projected tax bill of at least $120MM so far, and that number would rise significantly if the team uses its MLE.
YES !!!!!
Was kind of a must here because losing Payton and Porter and JTA already (and coach Brown) hurts a little. Can’t rebuild the entire bench and hope to have max continuity.
Looney+Wiseman going to be such an incredible bigman duo.
In my opinion
Both Looney and Payton are worth 3-year $36 million contracts.
Looney has 7-year experience
Payton has 1-year experience
As flashy and great defense GP2 showed, Looney is still far more valuable to W’s. 3 titles, our own draftee… he’s an extension of W’s trio…
Thank you Looney for giving W’s hometown discount !!!! It’s easy to see he could have made much more elsewhere ….
Takes less again. What a player
…. and he’s Low-maintenance, drama-free.
Just shows up to work, brings his lunchpail, puts on his hardhat, and does his job.
Looney is no Diva. How refreshing. Classy man and a Gentleman. Glad he got a Raise. Thanks Loon for returning.
He got REALLY good this season too. Finally figured out how to match his sky high IQ up with his broken body – which he also kept healthy all season long, what a great player. Just a massively important guy to the legacy and future titles too.
Classy? He did not ask for his cut.
He has already paid back GSW for his nervy years of short seasons with a home team discount in the current contract.
He played in every 104 games last year!
He defends pick and roll/multiple positions (at least 2-5, and essentially 1-5), protects the rim, defends without fouling on verticality, is a great screener, can playmake from multiple areas of the floor without being a ball stopper, is a good finisher, can even shoot from at least mid range, and he rebounds, and obviously plays hard. Playing hard is a skill. Thag was one of the reasons I picked GS the day lebeon went back to Cleveland their first championship year. Besides me thinking they were the perfect modern nba team, they also play hard every night
Looney remembers his first two years when the Warriors stuck by him during his hip ordeal.
“It’s not how much you make.., it’s how much you save and invest.” – Gary 7:1
at this moment
Clippers projected $176 million luxury tax
Warriors projected $152 million luxury tax
Warriors have 6 market contracts and 6 rookie contracts in the roster
Warriors are on rebuild mode because of 6 rookie contracts
rebuild mode …omg
You don’t even believe that.
Ok, but much rather have Gary Payton back
Me too, but at least we have Moses Moody waiting in the wings. We don’t know about Wiseman so Looney was slightly more valuable of the two.
Thank god. Would have liked GP2 as well but I understand it.
Iggy might need to come back for one more yr now that Warriors lost GP2 and Porter….. Blijeca too… At the end of the day, it’s time for Kuminga Moody and Wiseman to step up next year!
Losing GP2+Otto sucks so much, wish we could have kept all three, but Kuminga/Moody/Poole/Wiseman all need huge minutes.
Looney/Green/Wiggins/Thompson/Curry
Wiseman/Kuminga/Baldwin/Moody/Poole
The two timelines. Just praying Lacob/Myers understand how important it is to have very good players at 11-15. Rollins takes one of those, but who are the last 4? Iggy?
His teammates always enjoyed LOONEY’S TUNES !!
I think people are overrating GPII. The guy has been in the Association for 6 seasons. He doubled his number of career games last season. He just might regress. But, he could take what he learned at Golden State and help the Trailblazers.
I would remind people. The Warriors drafted Kevon Looney knowing full well he needed hip surgery. So, his struggles the first 2 seasons were to be expected. Steph Curry struggled his first 2 seasons…Wiseman struggled his first 2 seasons…Patrick Baldwin will probably struggle also…
Jordan Poole struggled for sure as well. Looney turned out so well and has always overperformed his contract. Baldwin will be a project and all we can hope is he will contribute some in year 3.
An actual fan realizes that a team will make mistakes. The Warriors made it clear they will develop players.
They gone be dope with this guy at Center!
Best thing that can happen for Looney. Is Wiseman can start next yr. Looney can also play the 4. Imagine a Warrior big front line. Prolong his career. Dra’s too.
The best thing that will happen for the Warriors is not listening to you. The Warriors have done pretty well since Steve Kerr rejected anything the Knickerbockers have to say.Why pretend you know how to make something work better?