Golden State Warriors center Kevon Looney will likely be released, according to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic.
Meanwhile, Evan Sidery of Forbes Sports expects teams to show “plenty of interest” in the veteran big man if the Warriors release him.
Given Looney’s championship experience and what is expected to be a team-friendly contract, the interest would be warranted. Here are three teams that could benefit from the nine-year veteran’s services.
New York Knicks
Regardless of whether the Knicks re-sign free-agent center Isaiah Hartenstein (7.8 PPG and 8.3 RPG last season), they should pursue Looney (4.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG).
Looney’s acumen on defense could prove invaluable for a Knicks team aiming to advance past the second round of the playoffs. The 28-year-old would mesh well with head coach Tom Thibodeau, who prefers smart, hard-nosed defenders.
The Knicks were also plagued by injuries this season. Having a durable, playoff-tested big such as Looney, who has played in all but eight games since the 2021-2022 season, would bolster their depth considering Mitchell Robinson’s injury history. (He played 31 games this past season and has played in more than 70 games in a season once in his career).
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder’s season ended disappointingly, losing in six games to the lower-seeded Dallas Mavericks. Oklahoma City’s youth (average age of 23.4) and lack of size hurt in the series, as 21-year-old Jaylin Williams (6-foot-9) and 22-year-old Chet Holmgren (208 pounds) struggled immensely guarding Dallas big men Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II.
