Golden State Warriors big man Kevon Looney stayed true to the franchise's name after battling to stay on the court during an important NBA Finals run despite a collarbone fracture. While he worried for his health during that stretch, he soon worried about his livelihood in free agency, as the sign-and-trade for D'Angelo Russell and the trade of Andre Iguodala signaled the team might not have enough money to reward him for his loyalty.
Looney explored his options, taking meetings in Los Angeles and Houston before the Warriors locked him down for three years and $15 million this summer. That didn't change how skeptical he was during the process.
“Uhh, I wouldn’t say a certain meeting. But after all that stuff went down, after the trade for D’Angelo (Russell) and Andre (Iguodala) getting moved, it’s like, uhh, do they even have enough money to give me anything?,” Looney admitted to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “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.
“A day went by and I started seeing things going on — guys going off the market — I’m like, well, I want to be here, so let’s make it happen.”
The Warriors had every intent to keep Looney for his spirited play and contributions during the bulk of these championship years, and while they had to navigate some murky waters to do so, they did so as quickly as they could muster the offer.
Golden State would only have minimum deals left after his signing, taking away the potential to re-sign DeMarcus Cousins and soon waiving Shaun Livingston, who retired earlier this month after a 15-year career.
