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Momentum is building behind the Golden State Warriors retaining impending free agent big man Kevon Looney, who is an unrestricted free agent but a key piece for the defending champs.
The Warriors want to retain Looney after their championship run and all signs point to him returning to the Bay Area — the only team has known during his NBA career. Per Marc Stein in his latest newsletter:
There is growing pessimism, league sources say, among teams interested in pursuing Kevon Looney about the ability to pry Looney away from the newly minted champions in Golden State Looney is increasingly expected to re-sign with the Warriors on a multiyear deal after playing a vital role in their fourth title run in a span of eight seasons.
Looney is coming off his best and most consistent year as a pro, averaging 6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, filling a key role for the Warriors. He came up big in the postseason, starting 13 games. His masterpiece was a career-high 21 points to go with 12 rebounds during the Western Conference Finals, even receiving MVP chants from the Chase Center crowd.
Warriors Clear That They Want to Retain Looney
The Warriors already footing a big bill for their roster but made it clear that keeping the roster together will be a priority.
“We certainly want all those guys,” general manager Bob Myers said. “We’ve made that clear to them. We’ve made that clear to the world. They know how much they mean to us. I think they enjoyed it here; they all were successful in different ways. So, we’re going to try our best to bring (Looney) back. Bring all those guys back.
And head coach Stever Kerr has heaped praise on his big man for his development and ability to take on any role he’s asked.
“Loon, what more do we need to say about Loon?” Kerr said on June 22. “He’s a championship center, modern-day defender, switch defender, which is what it takes in the playoffs. As the 30th pick in the draft seven years ago, the way he’s developed, the way he’s worked, the way he has become such a big part of our internal leadership and our fabric, he’s a huge component to our success.
“We all want him back. We also are rooting for him personally to get a really good contract, so hopefully it’s from us.”
Warriors Have Other Key Decision With Poole, Wiggins
The Warriors also have some other key decisions to make this offseason when it comes to their roster, with the opportunity to extend Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins — two more key pieces of their fourth title in eight years.
Poole averaged 18.5 points on 44.8% shooting last season, chipping in 3.4 rebounds and 4 assists. He’s eligible for an extension this offseason that would take away the possibility of him becoming a restricted free agent after next season.
Wiggins averaged 17.2 points on 46.6 percent shooting and 4.5 rebounds in the regular season. He also stepped up on the biggest stage for the Warriors, averaging 18.3 points, 8.8 rebounds in 39.3 minutes per game in the Finals. He has one year left on his deal but the Warriors could strike with an extension preemptively.
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