Warriors Rumors: Kevon Looney Agrees to 3-Year, $25.5M Contract in NBA Free Agency

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Kevon Looney agreed to a three-year, $25.5 million contract to stay with the Golden State Warriors on Friday, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The 26-year-old has spent his entire seven-year NBA career with the Warriors, emerging as a full-time starter for the first time in 2021-22. He averaged 6.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 57.1 percent from the floor.

Despite the largely successful regular season, the Warriors slightly dropped Looney’s minutes in the playoffs. He went from averaging 21.1 minutes per game in the regular season to 20.4 in the postseason, with the team emphasizing its smaller lineups.

“I’m always going to be ready to play,” he told reporters at the time. “My role really doesn’t change that much, so it wasn’t that big of an adjustment for me.”

Despite playing fewer minutes, Looney was a key part of the Warriors’ title run, averaging 10.6 points and 10.6 boards per game in the Western Conference Finals and pulling down double-digit rebounds in five games in the posteason, including a career-high 22 to close out Memphis in Round 2.

The UCLA product’s lessened playoff role, combined with the expected return of James Wiseman next season, put his future in Golden State into question. The Warriors are becoming a more expensive team with each passing season, and Jordan Poole is set to sign a massive new contract after his postseason breakout.

Looney’s minutes were invaluable at times, but he was also, arguably, the most expendable member of the Warriors rotation.

That said, Golden State’s ownership group has never been shy about spending big for a championship contender. Looney’s return on a reasonable contract will cost the team far more in cash than he’ll actually make, but it could be worth it if it all ends in a ring.