Kevon Looney didn’t just leave the Golden State Warriors this summer — he practically walked out with a suitcase full of mixed emotions, some Warriors tags, and a side of classic offseason confusion. While most NBA exits are filled with cryptic Instagram posts or tearful goodbyes, Kevon Looney’s departure was somehow more… relatable. Think less “decision special” and more “guy awkwardly explaining his breakup at the airport.”
Looney peeled back the curtain on the Warriors Plus Minus podcast, and folks, the man did not hold back. “A few days prior, I didn’t have a solid offer from the Warriors,” Kevon Looney admitted, setting the stage like a man who’d been left on read by his long-time employer. “Kept saying you got to wait, see what happens with JK and all that stuff… You wait too long, and the money will be there for you.” Spoiler alert: the money wasn’t.
While Kevon Looney’s free agency felt like a waiting game designed by Kafka, his agent, Adrian, was out here offering lifelines. “That morning, he said I looked like I had a solid offer coming in from New Orleans. But you still don’t believe it until it actually happens,” Looney said. And once it did? “That’s all that’s going to happen. That’s what we’re going to do.” The kind of pep talk you get when booking a budget airline flight, you know, is non-refundable.
From Africa’s Greenery to Free Agency Jitters — Looney’s Summer Gets Real
Meanwhile, Looney had just returned from Africa, which — plot twist — became the best part of his summer. “It was nice. It was different.” Kevon Looney said about his trip. “It was a big city, but it still had all the greenery, it still felt like he was in a big city in the jungle, it was kind of cool.” That probably sounded exactly like how Mike Dunleavy described the Warriors’ offseason plan — except Africa actually delivered.
But when it came to business, Kevon Looney knew the Warriors’ playbook by heart — and it wasn’t exactly heartwarming. “What’s really going to happen? I don’t know how they really view me, what they’re really going to offer. With the Warriors, it can vary from the taxpayer mid-level to the minimum. That’s a big difference,” Looney confessed. “I kind of want to control my own destiny… I knew it was going to be a low ball prior to starting, I didn’t want to do that again.” Translation: Kevon Looney had seen this movie before, and he wasn’t about to sit through the sequel with the same stale popcorn.
And then came the most millennial moment of this saga — the airport realization. You know that weird jolt when you answer your old job’s email out of habit? Well, Kevon Looney lived that out in real life. “This is probably going to be my last time barbecuing outside. 4th of July in the Bay… all the memories,” he said, reminiscing like a man clinging to his Spotify Wrapped playlist. But it hit hardest when random folks at the airport pulled the classic, “Yo, who you play for?” and Looney had to pause before admitting, “I got to say somebody different.”
Feb 12, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney (5) warms up before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
“It was too weird to say. I got all these Warriors tags. I had to find a few luggage because I’ve got Warriors on it. It was weird to say.” And that, friends, is how Kevon Looney’s Warriors era officially packed up — literally.
Of course, Mike Dunleavy Jr.’s legendary negotiation patience didn’t help. While Kevon Looney knew how this song went, the Warriors GM still preferred playing “wait and see,” even if the only thing coming was Looney’s Uber to New Orleans.
But hey, Kevon Looney joins a Pelicans squad bursting with young talent — and one very familiar face in Jordan Poole. They’ve both got rings, stories of Warriors-induced therapy sessions, and apparently, a mission to figure out if a Zion-Williamson-frontcourt without a stretch big can actually work.
Will Kevon Looney stretch the floor in New Orleans? Probably about as much as your grandma stretches her legs after a five-hour road trip. The Pelicans have Yves Missi, who shot one three-pointer in 73 games last year, and rookie Derik Queen, who made exactly two threes over his first two Summer League games. So yeah, expect a lot of paint traffic — like LA freeway-level traffic.
But that’s the beauty of Kevon Looney’s move. He’s betting on himself, out of a situation where the Warriors kept shifting priorities and lowball offers. Now, he gets a fresh start, a meaningful role, and a locker room where his championship wisdom won’t be treated like expired coupons.
And while Kevon Looney may miss his 4th of July barbecues in the Bay, there’s a new chapter sizzling in New Orleans — with or without the extra baggage tags.
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