Kevon Looney has been one of the Golden State Warriors’ stalwarts over the last decade, but the team appears to have alienated him with how they handled him during the playoffs.
Looney said he essentially made the decision to leave the Warriors in free agency when they did not trust him enough to match him up against Houston Rockets center Steven Adams during the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Warriors coach Steve Kerr turned to rookie Quinten Post ahead of Looney, and Looney took that as a signal that he had lost the trust of the coaching staff.
“Quint is my guy, but it was anybody but me, it seemed like,” Looney said on the “Warriors Plus Minus” podcast. “It was not one moment. Even this year, probably the playoffs. We’re going against Steven Adams. This is what I do. They’re not giving me the chance to really let me do what I do. It’s like, alright, y’all don’t trust me.
“I thought y’all would trust me. They put me in at the end of Game 7, while we were all the way to that point. That’s when I kind of go, alright. Y’all really don’t think I’m not good no more? What’s the problem?”
"We're going against Steven Adams… they're not giving me the chance to really let me do what I do. It's like, alright, y'all don't trust me. I thought y'all would trust me."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 15, 2025
Kevon Looney on what led to his exit from the Dubs.
(via Warriors Plus Minus)pic.twitter.com/rFI2PNwIFP
Looney clarified that he had no problem with Kerr, and knew the coach’s decision was not personal. Post averaged 17 minutes per game during the Houston series, compared to just 9.3 minutes per game for Looney.
There have been rumors for years that Looney was on his last legs with Golden State. Golden State never seemed to fully trust him against opposing bigs, especially in recent years. Injuries also became an issue for the 29-year-old. At the same time, the three-time NBA champion has become a fan favorite and one of the few constants over the team’s decade of success.
Looney ultimately signed a 2-year, $16 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, where he should have more opportunity. He does not sound like someone who was eager to leave Golden State, but felt he was left with no choice.
