No one can begrudge Kevon Looney for taking the money and departing the Golden State Warriors this offseason, but that doesn't mean the veteran center won't be facing some early regret for his decision to join the New Orleans Pelicans.
The notable injury curse at the Pelicans has already impacted Looney's whose ironman stature lasted just one game at the franchise, while the 3x NBA champion would also be left unimpressed by his team's start watching on from the sidelines.
Kevon Looney is facing instant regret for leaving the Warriors
Despite a stronger performance against the L.A. Clippers in the NBA Cup on Friday, New Orleans remains one of the three winless teams and at 0-5 with the worst defensive rating in the league to start the season.
Looney suffered a knee sprain during the Pelicans' first preseason game against Melbourne United at the start of the month, with the 29-year-old having not played since which subsequently forced the franchise into a desperate move for fellow veteran big man Deandre Jordan last week.
Looney departed the Warriors in the opening hours of free agency back at the start of July, signing a two-year, $16 million deal with the Pelicans before citing a sense of feeling unwanted by the team that drafted him a decade ago.
While he was never going to get that kind of deal from Golden State or perhaps any other team in the league, Looney might quickly realize that the financial element doesn't necessarily prevent regret. He's gone from a veteran team who are still looking to contend, to a team with arguably one of the bleakest futures in the league.
The Pelicans still have plenty of talent with Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III and another former Warrior in Jordan Poole, and rookie Jeremiah Fears, but it's clearly not working right now and there's growing pressure on head coach Willie Green to keep his job.
Combine that with the fact New Orleans foolishly relinquished their first-round pick in 2026 to Atlanta on draft day, and there's real questions marks on the exact direction the franchise is taking over the next few years.
Looney could play a major role in changing the Pelicans from a cultural and locker room perspective, but he's not exactly the type of player who's going to instantly change the team's on-court performances upon his return.
We'll only know in the fullness of time whether Looney will categorically regret his move to the Pelicans, yet the early signs aren't good for someone who is used to, and has been such a big part of a championship organization.