The Golden State Warriors aren’t going to be able to keep all the pieces from their 2022 NBA Championship team together, but they locked down a key member of the roster on Friday, re-signing center Kevon Looney on a three-year, $25.5 million deal, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
While Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson grab the headlines, Looney was a key member of the team’s championship run this past season. The 27-year-old had a breakout season, appearing in all 82 games in the regular season and every playoff game (22). Looney’s rebounding and defensive play were critical as the team marched towards its fourth title in eight seasons, though he also broke out a few points when needed.
Retaining Looney, who averaged a career-high 7.3 rebounds this season, was considered a priority for the franchise. That was especially true in the wake of losing key players like Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr., and Juan Toscano-Anderson. Looney’s return also gives Golden State more time to develop James Wiseman.
“Loon, what more do we need to say about Loon?” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said back on June 22. “He’s a championship center, modern-day defender, switch defender, which is what it takes in the playoffs. As the 30th pick in the draft seven years ago, the way he’s developed, the way he’s worked, the way he has become such a big part of our internal leadership and our fabric, he’s a huge component to our success.”
There were lots of reactions around the NBA world on Friday after the news that Looney would remain with the Warriors.
Get paid, Looney! Love it. Glad he's back. Warriors need to just add 2 vets for minimums in the off-season and they'll get it. https://t.co/mvQcjToPXV
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) July 1, 2022
Saved money on Looney. Makes losing GP2 look worse. https://t.co/esauPYnYQq
— Brian Witt (@Wittnessed) July 1, 2022
[Woj]