As the Warriors championship celebrations die down in the offseason, the reality that comes with NBA free agency is already looming.
For Golden State, big man Kevon Looney is among the players entering free agency who could be on a new team next year, along with Otto Porter Jr and Gary Payton II.
Looney expressed he wants to stay in the Bay, but has been in the league long enough to understand how the game works.
“Always want to be back here,” Looney told The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “I’ve been here my whole career. But it’s a business. Never know what’s going to happen. Wait to see what my agent says about what’s going on around the league, what’s going on with me. But I’d love to come back and defend what we’ve just won. But you never know in this league.”
The 6-foot-9 center is coming off his most impressive NBA career with the Warriors which gained the respect of the league.
A now three-time champ, teams are already showing interest in the 26-year-old big man.
Looney remarkably played in all 82 games during the Warriors’ 2021-22 season and started in 80 of them. He also played in 22 playoff games, starting in 13.
The Warriors’ Iron Man was incredible during Golden State’s postseason run, having breakout performances in the Western Conference semifinals and the Western Conference Finals.
Chase Center even broke out the “MVP! MVP!” chants for him when he finished with a career-high 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field, 12 rebounds and two assists in 32 minutes vs. the Dallas Mavericks.
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“The love in the Bay Area is definitely different now,” Looney told Slater. “They’ve been supporting me my whole career, but this past year has been even more. They watched me grow up, seen my story, know the adversity I’ve been through.”
And whether he stays with the Warriors or is sporting another team’s jersey next year, there’s no doubt that Dub Nation will ever stop showing love to Looney.
Read More: Kevon Looney would 'love' to stay with Warriors but knows future uncertain
