As the Golden State Warriors entered the offseason, they were forced to make the unfortunate choice of allowing veteran center Kevon Looney to walk to the New Orleans Pelicans in free agency.
While this loss leaves a void of experience on the roster at the five-spot, it also been revealed by Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard that Looney also served as a role model for disgruntled young forward Jonathan Kuminga, meaning that his loss could also have an effect on the overall dynamic of the locker room.
As Kuminga has dealt with numerous ups and downs in his young career, including being cut out of the rotation entirely towards the end of last season, Looney has been there to help him keep a level head, and, with this revelation, another dimension of the Warriors' loss has become clear.
Kevon Looney was always there to keep Jonathan Kuminga focused
As Golden State entered free agency, it became clear that they were going to need to make some tough decisions this offense in order to properly furnish their veteran trio with a cost-effective supporting cast.
Unfortunately, this came at the cost of re-signing Looney, who, as the team's third center last season, averaged 4.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists.
Looney, over 10 seasons with the Warriors, became a fan-favorite, and his loss signifies the departure of another player that understood head coach Steve Kerr's system inside and out.
However, an even bigger impact of his loss could come through the relationship Looney had with Kuminga. As Kawakami and co-host Marcus Thompson discussed the possibility of Kuminga being a disruptive force in the locker room, Kawakami pointed out that, as a result of the team's choices this offseason, "[Kuminga] loses Looney. Looney had a locker next to him, and he was always looking over to him."
Although Thompson and Kawakami, rightly, rejected the idea of Kuminga being disruptive in a team setting next season as a result of his dissatisfaction with the organization, it will still be a tall task for the team to bring the young forward back into the fold given the way that they have treated him this offseason.
While Kuminga initially came into his restricted free agency looking to be valued as a franchise cornerstone, Golden State has made clear that they want him back essentially as a walking trade piece through their insistence on a two-year deal with only one year of guaranteed money.
As Kuminga presumably returns, this insult from the organization coupled with his frustration with his limited playing time could eventually boil over, and losing a veteran presence in the locker room such as Looney could have a serious effect on Kuminga's attitude throughout the season.
Not only do the Warriors need Kuminga to play well this season, but they need him to rehabilitate his value on the trade market: a proposition that becomes exceedingly difficult if the young forward is disgruntled in the team's system.