Warriors Cannot Allow Rivals to Drive Up Price on Kevon Looney
By Scott Rogust
The Golden State Warriors face serious uncertainty entering the start of NBA Free Agency. With Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson potentially leaving the Bay Area for one of their various potential suitors, Kevon Looney has been receiving some attention as well.
According to NBA insider Sean Deveney, the New Orleans Pelicans have joined the Houston Rockets in the Looney sweepstakes.
Sources say the Pelicans, in addition to the Rockets, are among several teams intending to pursue free-agent Kevon Looney. He's only 23 and could be a good fit with Zion Williamson.
— Sean Deveney (@SeanDeveney) June 27, 2019
BUT the Warriors are hoping to lock up Looney quickly, I'm told. More:https://t.co/OEw8ybhg6s
If that's the case, the Warriors should find a way to lock up Looney fast, before the price is too steep.
Looney's stock rose this past season while playing for the Warriors. In the regular season, the big man averaged 6.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest. More importantly, Looney shot 62.5 percent from the field, which is downright impressive.
In the postseason, Looney averaged 7.1 points and 4.5 rebounds while accumulating a field goal percentage of 68.8. More importantly, Looney played through a non-displaced first costal cartilage fracture in the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors.
Kevon Looney reportedly is a possible target for the Rockets in free agency https://t.co/MUyGUi7V43 pic.twitter.com/VPj6b1TapL
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) June 26, 2019
As has been the theme in recent years, Golden State can sell players on taking a discount with the caveat of winning championships. Even so, a discount in the NBA still equates to a significant salary.
Yet, the Rockets and Pelicans can cause the bidding war to increase, and if that's the case, Looney is as good as gone. He would be foolish to turn down a significant pay raise from one of those teams.
The Warriors can't allow that to happen, and they need to do whatever it takes to keep Looney before Houston and New Orleans make a serious move.