Kevon Looney Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Free Agent Rumors: Monk, Warriors, Walker, Dragic, House

June 29th, 2022 at 11:03am CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers are hoping to re-sign Malik Monk with their taxpayer mid-level exception, but that may not be enough to keep the 24-year-old guard, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

Monk indicated this week that he might accept less money to stay in L.A., but sources tell Fischer that he plans to explore his value on the open market. The Lakers are limited to an offer of around $6.4MM under the MLE.

Monk developed into a valuable scoring threat in his first year with the team, averaging 13.8 points in 76 games while shooting 47.3% from the field and 39.1% on three-pointers.

There’s more free agent news from the Western Conference:

The Warriors are likely to keep center Kevon Looney, Fischer states in the same piece, with other teams expecting him to get a multi-year contract that averages about $10MM per season. Golden State would like to re-sign Gary Payton II, but he could be tempted to leave for a full mid-level offer. Otto Porter may not return, as sources tell Fischer that he might get several offers at the taxpayer MLE.
The Spurs aren’t expected to keep Lonnie Walker, Fischer adds. San Antonio must decide by today whether to extend a $6.3MM qualifying offer to the 23-year-old guard.
Jalen Brunson‘s expected exit from Dallas increases the likelihood that veteran guard Goran Dragic will emerge as a target for the Mavericks, Marc Stein writes in his latest column for Substack.
The Kings may have interest in signing forward Danuel House, tweets Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.

Clippers, Knicks Have Discussed Possible Nerlens Noel Trade

June 28th, 2022 at 10:50am CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers and Knicks have engaged in “exploratory” discussions about a possible trade involving center Nerlens Noel, league sources Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

The Knicks are attempting to clear the cap room necessary to make a serious run at free agent point guard Jalen Brunson and have a surplus of future draft picks to offer a team willing to take on Noel’s contract, which will pay him $9.24MM in 2022/23. Moving Noel would increase their projected cap room to approximately $25MM.

The Clippers, meanwhile, have a trade exception big enough to take on Noel’s contract without sending out any salary and may view him as a solid rotation option at center, especially if free agent big man Isaiah Hartenstein doesn’t remain in Los Angeles.

The Clippers already project to be a taxpayer and would increase their luxury tax bill exponentially by adding another $9MM+ contract to their books, but Steve Ballmer is one of the richest owners in sports, so that may not be a pressing concern. The opportunity to help an Eastern Conference club pry away a key free agent from a Western rival may also provide some extra incentive as the Clippers mull a potential deal.

Here’s more from Scotto on free agency and the trade market:

Four NBA executives who spoke to Scotto believe that Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons could sign a contract in the four-year, $80MM range, perhaps with incentives that could further increase its value.
Based on conversations with six league executives, Scotto writes that Warriors center Kevon Looney could command upwards of $9MM per year as a free agent this summer, while guard Gary Payton II could earn $6-7MM annually. Looney is reportedly considered likely to re-sign with Golden State.
On draft night, the Pistons landed center Jalen Duren with the No. 13 pick after agreeing to a deal involving New York and Charlotte. If they hadn’t been able to reach an agreement for the No. 13 pick and Duren slipped to No. 14, the Pistons had discussed offering multiple picks, including a future first-rounder, to the Cavaliers, says Scotto. It’s unclear if Cleveland would’ve had any interest in such an offer.

Western Notes: Looney, Payton, Wolves, Mavs’ Targets, Rockets

June 27th, 2022 at 10:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors have made re-signed center Kevon Looney their top free agent priority and are expected to meet with his agent, Todd Ramasar, in the early hours of free agency, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Gary Payton II profiles as the Warriors’ second-most important priority but he’ll have other suitors, with the Mavericks expected to be among them, per Slater. Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damion Lee are the players most vulnerable to losing their roster spots, Slater adds.

We have more from the Western Conference:

The Timberwolves wound up with two first-round draft picks but it won’t alter their plans for free agency, according to Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. GM Tim Connelly said they’ll be looking for players who can make an immediate impact. “I don’t think it has a huge impact,” Connelly said. “Again, the draft is for the next two, three, four, five, six, seven years.”
While re-signing Jalen Brunson looms as their top free agent priority, the Mavericks could go shopping for other free agents. Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News looks at some other potential targets, including Gary Harris, Otto Porter Jr. and Goran Dragic.
By reaching a buyout agreement with John Wall, the Rockets now have 18 players on the roster, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. They’re $30MM below the luxury tax threshold, with Eric Gordon — a prime trade candidate — as the lone player earning more than $10MM.

Pacific Notes: McNair, Kings’ Offseason Strategy, Looney

June 27th, 2022 at 10:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

With general manager Monte McNair entering the final year of his three-year contract, it’s widely assumed the Kings are in a playoffs-or-bust mode. McNair insists that’s not necessarily the case, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee writes.

“There’s no mandate,” McNair said. “We’ve been very clear what our goal is. We want to win. We want to make the playoffs and we want to stay there, but there’s no mandate to do so. My job is to build, as I’ve said, the best team that’s going to take the court this year and for years to come.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

In the same story, McNair shrugged off criticism for trading his early second-round pick to Dallas for two future second-rounders. Sacramento has nine guaranteed contracts on its books, with lottery pick Keegan Murray soon to be the 10th. McNair said he wanted to keep his options open regarding the 15-man roster instead of locking into a high second-round pick. “For us, as we go into draft night and into free agency, we’re really managing both our roster and our roster spots,” McNair said. “We’ve got a bunch of guaranteed contracts already. We’re adding one more (Murray) very quickly, and so that’s one thing, opening up another roster spot as we go into free agency, and we have a lot of things on the table.”
The Kings passed on Jaden Ivey in the lottery as De’Aaron Fox‘s backcourt partner. So which guards might they pursue in free agency? James Ham of The Kings Beat explores 10 potential options, including Gary Harris, Victor Oladipo and Bruce Brown.
Warriors center Kevon Looney is likely to re-sign with the defending champion, according to a report. Todd Ramasar, Looney’s agent, discussed his free agent pitch to other suitors Monday on 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” (hat tip to Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area). “I talk about how he’s been to five Finals and he’s only 26 years old,” Ramasar said. “He’s won three rings, he’s got a great pedigree. And the fact that he played 104 games this season.”

Stein’s Latest: Looney, Simons, Nurkic, Clippers, Wall, More

June 27th, 2022 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Teams interested in pursuing center Kevon Looney this offseason are increasingly pessimistic that they’ll be able to lure him away from the Warriors, league sources tell Marc Stein (Substack link). According to Stein, there’s an expectation that Looney will likely re-sign with Golden State on a multiyear deal when he becomes a free agent this week.

Stein writes that there has been similar pessimism from the teams with interest in making a run at Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons or center Jusuf Nurkic. Simons is a restricted free agent while Nurkic is unrestricted, but the belief among rival teams is that both players will remain in Portland, per Stein.

Here are a few more updates from the veteran NBA reporter:

Stein says league sources reiterated to him on Monday that the Clippers will be making a “strong pitch” to John Wall if the veteran point guard reaches a buyout agreement with Houston. There’s a sense that the presence of head coach Tyronn Lue will help increase L.A.’s chances of landing Wall, Stein adds.
While they stayed put on draft night, Hawks big man John Collins and Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon remain highly likely to be traded this offseason, sources tell Stein.
Following a strong year overseas with AS Monaco, big man Donta Hall is receiving interest from NBA teams, according to Stein. Hall, a former Alabama standout, appeared in a total of 22 games for Detroit, Brooklyn, and Orlando in 2020 and 2021.

Warriors Notes: No. 28 Pick, Looney, Payton, Wiseman, Iguodala, More

June 22nd, 2022 at 4:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking today to reporters, Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers said that money won’t be the deciding factor as the team weighs whether to use or trade the No. 28 overall pick, as Kendra Andrews of ESPN relays (via Twitter).

“It’ll be if it makes sense,” Myers said of a possible trade.

Besides the financial aspect, the Warriors will have to consider whether there’s a player they like at No. 28 enough to add another rookie to a young core that already includes several recent lottery picks.

According to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, the Celtics, Knicks, and Magic are among the teams that have expressed interest in the No. 28 pick.

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Asked about the Warriors’ key free agents, starting with Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II, Myers said, “Our hope and our goal is to bring all of those guys back” (Twitter link via Mark Medina of NBA.com). However, he added that Golden State will be mindful of the marketplace, suggesting there may be a price point the team won’t exceed. Myers also spoke at length about the ownership’s willingness to pay an ever-growing tax bill as long as the Warriors remain a title contender (video link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic).
According to Myers, the Warriors would like to extend Andrew Wiggins‘ and Jordan Poole‘s contracts this offseason, but those talks may not be on the front burner to start the summer, since the deadline for a Poole extension isn’t until October, and Wiggins could be extended during the season (Twitter link via Andrews).
The Warriors aren’t giving head coach Steve Kerr a mandate to play youngsters James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody a certain amount next season. “If there are guys playing better, we’ll play those guys,” Myers said (Twitter link via Medina).
Wiseman hasn’t experienced any recent setbacks and the plan remains for him to play in either the California Classic or Las Vegas Summer League in July, Myers said today (Twitter link via Medina). That plan was reported earlier this month.
Neither Myers nor Kerr is certain whether or not Andre Iguodala will retire this summer, tweets Slater. “It’s a really big decision for him,” Kerr said. “If he decides to come back, we’d be thrilled.”

Warriors Notes: Looney, Wiggins, Porter, Salary

June 18th, 2022 at 4:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

With another NBA title in their possession, the Warriors will now see how much of their team they can keep together, writes Logan Murdock of The Ringer. One of the key pieces in question is center Kevon Looney, who will be an unrestricted free agent on June 30. Looney, who became the Golden State’s full-time starting center this season, said he hopes to re-sign with the team.

“This is definitely my number one option,” he said. “I’ve been here my whole career. … So this will definitely be number one.”

Looney should far exceed the three-year, $14.4MM contract he just completed, and the Hornets and Kings are both expected to pursue him, Marc Stein writes in a story for Substack. New Sacramento head coach Mike Brown worked closely with Looney during his time as a Warriors assistant.

There’s more on the NBA champs:

The Warriors also face a decision on Andrew Wiggins, who will be eligible for an extension this summer ahead of unrestricted free agency in 2023, Murdock adds in the same piece. Wiggins has excelled since coming to Golden State in a 2020 trade and was an important part of this year’s playoff run. “I would love to stay here,” Wiggins said during today’s exit interviews. “This is top-notch. The way they treat their players, the way they treat your family. We’re all one big family. A lot of places might say that, but here their actions show it.” (Twitter link from Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area).
Free agent forward Otto Porter expressed a similar sentiment in his exit interview, tweets Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Porter will be back on the open market after signing a one-year, minimum-salary deal last summer. “I do know this team can compete for another championship,” he said. “And I think it would be a great opportunity if I can stay here. It would be an amazing to be here with this group of guys again and do it all over again.”
The Warriors set a league record by spending more than $350MM on combined salary and luxury tax payments this season, and that number could easily top $400MM in the next two years, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link). He points out that payroll would reach $390MM if Looney and Gary Payton II are brought back at $6MM per year and would balloon to $430MM if the Warriors also use their mid-level exception.

Warriors Notes: Curry, Looney, Wiggins, Thompson

June 12th, 2022 at 9:19am CST by Arthur Hill

Friday night may have been the best performance of Stephen Curry‘s Hall of Fame career, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. With the Warriors in danger of falling behind 3-1, Curry delivered 43 points with seven three-pointers, 10 rebounds and four assists to pull out a victory in a hostile atmosphere.

It was a defining game for Curry, who has yet to win Finals MVP honors despite having three rings. More remarkably, it came two days after a foot injury that led to questions about how effective he could be for the rest of the series.

“Incredible,” Draymond Green said. “Put us on his back. Willed us to win. Much-needed win. Game we had to have. Came out and showed why he’s one of the best players to ever play this game, you know? And why … this organization has been able to ride him to so much success. It’s absolutely incredible.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

Kevon Looney was replaced by Otto Porter Jr. in the starting lineup for Game 4 as coach Steve Kerr focused on spacing, but Looney was able to exploit his size advantage when he checked in, observes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. After playing just 17 minutes in Game 3, the big man logged 28 minutes Friday night with six points and 11 rebounds. “Loon is just crucial to everything we do,” Kerr said. “He’s our best screener, our best rebounder. One of our smartest players. He’s always in the right spot. He made I thought the biggest bucket in the game after Horford made the 3 from the corner (late in the fourth quarter), Draymond made the pass out of the pocket to Loon, and he finished with that left hand (to put the Warriors back up five).”
Andrew Wiggins has transformed himself into an effective rebounder throughout this year’s playoffs and collected a career-high 16 in Game 4, Slater adds in the same piece. Wiggins has been criticized for his lack of rebounding during his eight NBA seasons, but he’s averaging 7.3 per game in this postseason as a small-ball power forward. “I want to win,” he explained. “I know rebounding is a big part of that. I just want to win.”
In an attempt to revive himself for the rest of the series, Klay Thompson went swimming Saturday in San Francisco Bay, per Ali Thanawalla of NBC Sports Bay Area. Thompson spent a lot of time on the water, especially in his boat, during his 31-month rehab after two serious leg injuries.

Warriors Notes: Porter, Iguodala, Payton, Looney

May 31st, 2022 at 5:43pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Injured Warriors role players Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr., and Andre Iguodala were all able to fully partake in a relatively light team practice on Tuesday, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. The team has a full contact practice scheduled for Wednesday. According to Slater, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr indicated he should have a better sense of the injured players’ availability for the start of the series following that session.

There’s more out of Golden State:

Payton is “trending” toward being a game-time decision for Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals, slated to tip off on Thursday, per Shams Charania of Stadium (Twitter video link). “We still got some boxes to fill,” Payton said of his availability, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (via Twitter). Payton has been sidelined since suffering a left elbow fracture in Game 2 of the Warriors’ conference semifinals series against the Grizzlies.
Payton won the NBA’s 2021/22 Bob Lanier Community Assist Award this season, the Warriors announced in a press statement. The honor is meant to reward players for outstanding community outreach. The league and award sponsor Kaiser Permanente will donate $75K to Payton’s charity, the GPII Foundation, which helps young people struggling with language-based learning disabilities.
Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic has helped Golden State starting center Kevon Looney gobble up rebounds like never before, writes Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Thompson notes that Looney is grabbing 21.6% of possible rebounds when on the court during the 2022 playoffs. Should the trend continue, that would be a top-50 all-time postseason rebounding rate. “Rebounding is something that I’ve always enjoyed,” Looney said. “I made a lot of strides this year. I feel like I’ve always been pretty good at it. I always have my moments. But this year I’ve been way more consistent, and really more locked in on it, and that’s been able to make a difference.”

Pacific Notes: Looney, Payton, Iguodala, Ham, Stotts

May 21st, 2022 at 8:31am CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors center Kevon Looney, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, continues to pump up his value. Looney, who grabbed 22 rebounds in the clinching win over Memphis, delivered one of the top performances of his career during Golden State’s Game 2 comeback against Dallas on Friday night.

He had 21 points, 12 rebounds and no turnovers in 32 minutes while holding whoever he was guarding, including Luka Doncic, to 1-for-11 shooting, ESPN’s Kendra Andrews notes.

“Playing center for the Warriors, it’s a different type of job from other teams,” Looney said. “A lot of the scoring and stuff, we don’t really need us to do. It’s a lot of screen setting and a lot of play-making and doing different things. For me to have a game like that is cool.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

It doesn’t seem as if the Warriors’ Gary Payton II or Andre Iguodala will play in the Western Conference Finals, though both are making “progress,” the team’s PR department tweets. Recovering from a left elbow fracture, Payton has started to do light individual on-court activities and will be reevaluated in one week. Iguodala, who has missed nine games due to a disc injury in his neck, is also doing light individual on-court activities along with physical therapy and weight room training. His status will be updated when he rejoins team practices.
An Athletic report on Friday suggested that Bucks assistant Darvin Ham has emerged as the top candidate for the Lakers’ head coaching job. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha believes Ham is the right choice, stating Ham is long overdue for an opportunity to be a head coach. He also has ties to the organization as a former assistant coach there, a championship pedigree and is well-respected by players, Buha adds.
The Orange County Register’s Kyle Goon takes a look at the three reported finalists for the Lakers’ job, a list that also includes Kenny Atkinson and Terry Stotts. Goon believes Stotts is the most likely to find ways to make Russell Westbrook more effective but also notes that Stotts’ teams often flamed out early in the postseason.