The Golden State Warriors have a reputation for keeping previous championship cores together, but it appears that they will part ways with a starter from the most recent title team.
Tim Kawakami of The Athletic joined on the “Warriors Plus Minus” podcast on Thursday, June 6, and revealed that the Dubs are likely to release center Kevon Looney this offseason.
“I think the likeliest situation is that he’s cut, and he makes $3 million from [the Warriors], and he’s off looking for another spot — and there will be another spot for him in this league,” Kawakami explained. “Teams are going to want him, again for a very low number, but they’re going to want him.”
Kawakami listed backup jobs with the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets and the rebuilding San Antonio Spurs as possible destinations for Looney.
Looney is heading into the final season of a three-year, $22.5 million contract that is partially guaranteed, according to Bleacher Report. His salary cap hit will cost the Warriors $8 million in 2024-25, though the price will be exponentially more with luxury tax penalties if Golden State can’t get under the cap ceiling this offseason.
The money the team can save by cutting Looney loose, if it ultimately chooses to do so, represents one of several difficult personnel decisions the Dubs face as they attempt to rebuild a contender around Stephen Curry and Draymond Green in a more economical fashion.
Part of that effort includes several young contributors who are still playing on rookie deals. Among them is center Trayce Jackson-Davis, who played significantly during his initial pro season and took several starts away from Looney as the campaign rolled along.
Jackson-Davis, the No. 57 overall pick in the second round of the 2023 draft, started 16 games, while Looney started 36. However, the youngster averaged more minutes per game (16.6) in 68 games than his senior counterpart, who averaged 16.1 minutes in 74 regular-season matches.
According to Basketball Reference, Jackson-Davis averaged 7.9 points, 5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.1 blocks while also being a more athletic and effective inside defender than Looney. If the Warriors decide to part ways with Looney, they are betting big on Jackson-Davis and his ability to develop into a true starting center in the league.
Klay Thompson and Chris Paul may also depart Golden State this summer.
Another strong prediction is that the Warriors opt to release backup point guard Chris Paul before June 28, which will remove $30 million from their books and help them avoid the luxury tax. The organization could then try to re-sign Paul in free agency for a somewhat lower contract, but there would be stiff competition for his services.
Golden State’s bill in 2024-25 will definitely be repealed owing to Klay Thompson’s impending entry into unrestricted free agency. Thompson earned more than $43 million last season, which the Warriors would most likely cut in half, provided he returns to the Bay Area.
The off-ball guard remained a capable shooter and floor spacer, averaging 17.9 points per game and shooting nearly 39% from beyond the three-point line. Thompson’s popular reputation in Golden State, combined with his previous accomplishments, may earn him a little more understanding and money from the front office this summer.
However, there will be a point on the compensation scale where Thompson’s worth to the organization will drop with each additional dollar. Not to mention that the Warriors will most likely have to compete with numerous other clubs for Thompson, and they may be outbid.
The Warriors would undoubtedly like to move Andrew Wiggins’ final three years of his $109 million contract, but doing so may cost them a trade asset in order for another team to take on the deal. Wiggins and Thompson started alongside Looney during Golden State’s latest championship run in 2022.
