Center Kevon Looney recently shocked Golden State Warriors fans by departing the team for the New Orleans Pelicans after spending over 10 years with them.
He was one of the longest active players with the franchise, along with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. He ultimately left after signing a two-year, $16 million deal with the Pelicans.
‘I Want To Control My Destiny’: Kevon Looney on Why He Left Warriors for Pelicans
Speaking to the Warriors Plus Minus podcast, Looney revealed why he decided to sign with the Pelicans after 10 years with the Warriors. He claimed that he was ‘lowballed’ during negotiations with the team.
Wow this is so telling especially since it’s Loon of all people saying it… the audio quality isn’t the best but this is from the Plus Minus podcast. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ZMxQl8zhLQ
— CeeJay (@ceejaytalksball) July 13, 2025
“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 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,” Looney said.
After choosing to take fate into his own hands, the Warriors veteran ultimately entered free agency. ESPN insider Shams Charania reported that he agreed to a guaranteed deal with the Pelicans.
Looking back on last year’s offseason, Looney’s future with the team was also in doubt. His $8 million salary was only partially guaranteed, so Golden State could’ve saved $5 million by waiving him before the guarantee date; however, they ultimately decided to keep him on.
The veteran stayed on the roster past the deadline for his guarantee. GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. told reporters the Warriors “value him so much as a player, as a teammate, as a core piece of this organization.”
“When we were going against Steven Adams, like this is what I do. It’s like all right, y’all don’t trust me?”
“I thought y’all would trust me. Y’all really don’t think I’m good no more? Whats the problem… either you trust me or you don’t.”
The Kevon Looney era wasn’t supposed… https://t.co/YzIUzmj9Yb pic.twitter.com/2qormEDcem
— LoonMuse⚜️ (@KevonLooneyMuse) July 13, 2025
However, looking back at his performances last season, it could be argued that Looney’s importance as a player and as a core member of the Warriors waned slightly after he was mostly relegated to the bench in favor of 2023 second-round pick Trayce Jackson-Davis.
“Quentin Post was the last straw, that’s where I was like, ‘I’m done and I’m out.’ It was anybody but me, it seemed like. Like, even this year, in the playoffs, up against Steven Adams, they weren’t giving me the chance to do what I do,” Looney shared.
After being drafted in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, many viewed Post as a potential replacement for Looney. During the final run of the veteran’s career, in the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, both Post and Adler saw more minutes than the 10-year veteran.
The current collective bargaining agreement may have forced the Warriors to be slightly more ruthless than usual when dealing with players, as many NBA teams are struggling to stay out of the dreaded second apron.
Going into next season, Looney will provide solid depth for the Pelicans as they look to make a playoff run in the stacked Western Conference.