The Golden State Warriors have had a rocky start to their roster-building project this offseason. With Kevon Looney, a three-time champion with the team, headed over to the New Orleans Pelicans, the big man recently joined the “Warriors Plus Minus” podcast to shed more light on his decision to leave.
While discussing his situation with the team leading up to his departure, he said:
“These last few years, everything’s been changing, everything’s been kind of up and down. They are telling me late. My minutes’ always up and down. I was like, “What’s really going to happen?’ I don’t know how they view me, or how much they’re going to offer. It can vary with the Warriors.”
“It varies between taxpayer mid-level to minimum, and I can’t, like, it’s a big difference. I can’t wait on that, I want to control my destiny. That kind of made it easy because I know how they like to negotiate and how they like to do business.”
Looney’s comments paint a very different picture regarding how the Warriors organization has been run. Given the uncertainties regarding his future, the 29-year-old simply exercised his right to choose the better prospect for himself.
In addition to this, podcast host Tim Kawakami tried to imply that the Warriors’ preference for Quinten Post may have played a role in cementing Looney’s decision. But the big man quickly denied this and added:
“I guess. I wouldn’t say that. Quint is my guy,” said Looney, “But it was anybody but me it seemed like at this point.”
While discussing smaller events that helped him come to terms with his decision, the big man tried to zero in on one situation when he said:
“It was not one moment. 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.”
Looney’s revelation is a stark indication of how he felt like he had lost favor with the Warriors’ organization. Although he had been clear in displaying his faith in head coach Steve Kerr, it is understandable why these events would have had an impact on his eventual decision.
Regardless, the 29-year-old now finds himself in a rather interesting situation brewing in New Orleans, as he joins a former teammate, Jordan Poole, on a talented Pelicans roster.
The big man’s veteran talent and championship pedigree certainly add a competitive edge to this otherwise inexperienced team. With this, Looney might also see a resurgence in performance, especially after a season in which he averaged 4.5 points and 6.1 rebounds on 15.0 minutes played per game.
The big man’s departure also isn’t surprising in some ways. With the Warriors clearing house this offseason, Looney was expected to be one of the assets that would be on the way out.
This puts the Dubs in a particularly tight spot with regards to their big man rotation. With a lot of offseason activity left, Golden State will hope to make the right additions to its roster to remain competitive.
