Kevon Looney explains decision to take pay cut to return to Warriors

Share

As the Warriors were rebuilding their roster this offseason, it appeared like Kevon Looney would be a casualty of a dynastic team entering a transition.

After Kevin Durant elected to bolt the Bay for Brooklyn and sign with the Nets, the Warriors orchestrated a sign-and-trade that netted them D'Angelo Russell. The deal for Russell also forced the Dubs to trade Andre Iguodala to the Memphis Grizzlies and hard-capped the team.

At this point, Looney was taking free-agent meetings in Los Angeles, and was unsure if he would be able to return to the Warriors. 

"But after all that stuff went down, after the trade for D’Angelo (Russell) and Andre getting moved, it’s like, uhh, do they even have enough money to give me anything?" Looney told The Athletic's Anthony Slater. "So I was kind of nervous after that. I’d had a meeting with them. They made the first offer. Then they told me they might be making some changes and needed an answer fast."

Looney came into his own last season and was expected to have many suitors when he hit the open market. The Warriors ended up offering Looney a three-year, $15 million contract that pays him $4.6 million in Year 1, $5 million in Year 2 and has a player option for $5.4 million in Year 3. 

The offer, admittedly, was a touch below market value, but the decision to return the Warriors wasn't all that difficult.

"A little bit. I took a little bit," Looney told Slater of the pay cut. "But it was nothing crazy. Would you rather take a little bit more and not be on a good team? That’s what it came down to. I could always hear my vets in the back of my ear. They always say, 'Get every dollar … but … as long as you can be here, stay. There’s no other place like this.'

"So I took that into consideration. New arena. New team. A lot of opportunity for me. I feel comfortable with Steve (Kerr). He’s telling me what my role is going to be. I trust him as a coach. This is just too good an opportunity."

Looney will see more playing time this season as he shares the center duties with Wille Cauley-Stein. He'll also be expected to take on more of a vocal leadership role in order to help Steph Curry and Draymond Green guide the Dubs through treacherous Western Conference waters, especially with Klay Thompson expected to be out until at least February as he recovers from his torn ACL.

[RELATED: Steph addresses scenario where Iguodala rejoins Warriors]

It looked a little dicey for a moment, but Looney is back with the Warriors. He wouldn't have it any other way.

Contact Us