Ex-Warriors Champion Gets Honest About Exit From Franchise
Kevon Looney decided to leave the Bay Area for the first time in his career this offseason. The 29-year-old opted to pass on returning to the Golden State Warriors in favor of a new opportunity with the New Orleans Pelicans. The former champion is now dropping hints as to why.
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In all honesty, his recent statement is less of a hint and more of a straightforward statement. Looney left little room for doubt regarding what caused him to pursue a frontcourt role with the Pelicans instead.
Dec 6, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney (5) guards against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) during the fourth quarter at Chase Center. © Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images
Looney described feeling hurt by the Warriors. A lack of trust became apparent to the veteran big man.
"We're going up against Steven Adams—those are the matchups I thrive in," Looney said. "But I wasn't given the chance to do my job… Even in the playoffs, it felt like they didn't trust me, and I really thought I had earned that trust."
To Looney's point, his playing time during the Warriors' 2025 postseason run was minimal. Despite Golden State's lack of prominent frontcourt options, in particular at center, the two-time champion was not featured much.
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Looney averaged 10.0 minutes per game in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. The ex-Warriors center posted 2.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 0.4 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game in his 12 appearances for Golden State.
New Orleans will offer Looney a chance to compete against Yves Missi and Derik Queen for playing time at the five. Depending on how comfortable the Pelicans are feeling with their younger options, the former Warrior may get his time to shine and build trust.
Check out the Inside the Warriors homepage for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
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