Warriors guarantee veteran center’s salary

Golden State is picking up Keon Looney’s full $8 million salary for next season

There may be a lot of veteran Golden State Warriors changing teams this summer, but as of now, Kevon Looney won’t be one of them.

Looney’s $8 million salary for the 2024-25 season is only partially guaranteed, with the Warriors only owing their backup center $3 million if he’s released by Monday. But with a deadline of Monday to make their decision, the Dubs opted to guarantee the salary of their top pick from the 2015 draft, foregoing the $5 million in savings.

There’s a few reasons why this makes sense. The first is that the organization loves Looney, and particularly head coach Steve Kerr. Looney had a rough season in 2023-24, losing his starting spot to rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis and seeing his scoring and rebounding numbers drop while his fouls and turnovers increased. But he’s still considered a leader in the locker room, a crucial bridge between veterans like Draymond Green and young players like Jonathan Kuminga.

Looney is still only 28 years old, despite being a nine-year veteran, and it’s possible the Warriors also think last year was an aberration. He certainly delivered big time in the playoffs in 2023, putting up 20+ rebounds in four different games and outplaying the Sacramento Kings’ all-Star center Domantas Sabonis.

During the Warriors’ title run in 2022, Looney had 22 rebounds (11 offensive) in an elimination game against the Memphis Grizzlies, and 18 boards when the Warriors eliminated the Dallas Mavericks. He also had a 21-point, 12-rebound effort against Dallas in Game 2, and may have indirectly led to the Mavericks adding three new centers since that series.

Looney has also consistently given the Warriors favorable contract terms. After the team declined his fourth-year rookie option, Looney came back on a minimum deal for the 2018-19 season. When he had a strong postseason, delivering double-digit rebounds in another elimination game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Looney returned on a bargain three-year deal for less than $15 million. And after the 2022 championship, Looney came back for only $17.5 million guaranteed. Perhaps the franchise feels like they owe him.

But in the cold-blooded world of NBA free agency, it simply may have come down to the savings not being worth it. Ditching Looney would have saved $5 million, but since the Warriors presumably have to replace him with another big man, the savings are negligible.

It also indicates that the Warriors either won’t be pushing against the tax line, or have given up owner Joe Lacob’s “Plan 1A” to get out of the tax entirely. Looney’s guarantee puts the Warriors’ payroll at about $142 million, with the luxury tax limit projected to be $172 million. That means they have roughly $30 million to fill out the roster, which includes big decisions on free agents Chris Paul and Klay Thompson.

Does this make it more likely that Thompson is gone? Insider Tim Kawakami says yes, but only barely.

We think Thompson will probably leave if he wants to leave, not over a small difference in next year’s salary.

Monday’s decision doesn’t mean Looney is necessarily staying all season. Having an $8 million salary is very useful in matching salary for trades. Given that the Warriors expected Looney to draw interest on the free agent market, they could trade him at his current number. In a summer where players like Brook Lopez, Mitchell Robinson and Clint Capela are expected to be available, the Warriors have some options when it comes to remaking their front court. Plus, there’s a lot of utility in an expiring $8 million deal.

Still, we’re likely to get at least one more season of Looney in San Francisco, as Golden State’s best bet for improving their interior defense may simply be hoping Loon bounces back. Time to stock up on Fitaid, Coach Kerr!