The Golden State Warriors won three championships with Kevon Looney, but the big man appears to be declining rapidly with the New Orleans Pelicans. There have been plenty of issues in the Big Easy this season, but the Looney signing looks disastrous. He got a two-year $16 million contract with a team option in year two. It will be an easy decision if Looney’s play doesn’t improve.
The big man is shooting 34.6 percent from the field this season and has a negative value over replacement player (VORP). Things have gotten so bad that he is no longer in the nightly rotation. The Warriors let him walk in free agency, and the 29-year-old is doing zero to make them regret it. It looks like Looney’s days as a productive rotation piece are over.
The 6’9 big man was the key part of the Warriors for a decade. He played a crucial role in two title runs and was one of head coach Steve Kerr’s favorites. Loon will forever be loved in the Bay Area, which makes this ending even sadder.
Kevon Looney is falling apart with no hope of recovery
Warriors fans saw the decline in each of the last two years. His playing time dropped every season as the productivity waned. Still, Looney was an above league player by win shares per 48 minutes and had a 0.7 or higher VORP.
His numbers have declined steeply across the board this year. Looney is only playing two fewer minutes, but his scoring has nearly been cut in half. The big man also grabs two fewer rebounds each night.
Things are even worse when looking at his on-off numbers. With Looney in the game, the Pelicans have a 90.9 offensive rating and a negative-30.2 net rating. I wish that was a typo, but it isn’t. New Orleans is 21.3 points per 100 possessions worse with Loon on the floor. It is no wonder they had to bench the big man.
Looney has played in nine games so far this season, and the Pelicans have not won his minutes yet. He ranges from a minus-one to a minus-22. Things have been absolutely abysmal for the Warriors' fan favorite in his new home.
Golden State fans cannot be surprised. They witnessed the slow decline up close in recent years. The 29-year-old appears to have fallen further in New Orleans. Poor finishing and defensive issues have made him unplayable. Sadly, there is no bounce back coming for the veteran big man.
Kevon Looney’s best bet to stick in the NBA is becoming a veteran leader at the end of the bench. He doesn’t need to play to make an impact. Golden State Warriors fans know that better than anyone. His days as a production rotation player are over, but do not be surprised if the Dubs bring him back after this season. A team with title hopes can never have too much experience or know-how on the bench.