Even because the Golden State Warriors battle, they had been simply confirmed proper after letting a fan favourite depart in free company over the summer season. Longtime Warriors heart Kevon Looney spent the primary ten seasons of his profession with the workforce earlier than leaving in free company and signing with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Whereas he wasn’t anticipated to be re-signed, it seemingly damage Warriors followers to see Looney go. Nevertheless, he has largely been an afterthought on the Pelicans, who’re one of many worst groups within the league and brief on measurement. He is averaged simply 2.7 factors in 12.9 minutes whereas showing in solely 12 video games so far.
Him failing to have an effect there proves that the Warriors had been proper to maneuver on after they did. To be clear, Golden State is not flying excessive in the intervening time. They’ve had a number of embarrassing losses, and their inconsistent play is each irritating and maddening to witness.
The Warriors had been proper to let Kevon Looney depart however are struggling
A few of that may be positioned squarely on coach Steve Kerr, whose rotations are a thriller to determine. He has overrelied on gamers akin to Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield and fewer on Pat Spencer and Moses Moody.
He even benched Jonathan Kuminga, who’s now amassing DNPs whereas being paid $22.5 million this season—nice instances. Nonetheless, the Warriors had been a minimum of justified in letting Looney depart.
Golden State is already the oldest workforce within the NBA, and bringing Looney again would not have solved something. Mockingly, he was changed by Al Horford, who’s eight years older.
Granted, he is higher and may shoot from exterior. Nonetheless, that signing has but to work out for Golden State. Of their protection, the Warriors are completely positioned to go star buying within the commerce market, with Giannis Antetokounmpo being their prime goal.
The Warriors might land Giannis Antetokounmpo after letting Looney go
That will require them to half with both Jimmy Butler or Draymond Inexperienced, and Inexperienced can be the odd man out if it got here all the way down to him or Giannis. Them’s the breaks.
That transfer would make the Warriors roster make much more sense, with them more likely to transfer on from Kuminga and Hield in that potential commerce. Having a top-3 NBA participant solves all.
Pairing him with an elite shooter in Steph Curry, who remains to be taking part in at a excessive stage, and a big-game performer in Butler would thrust the Warriors again into title competition. Whether or not they can be keen to half with Inexperienced and as much as 4 first-round picks is a giant query mark.
As is whether or not it might be sufficient for the Bucks to commerce Giannis. One factor that is not a query mark is the Warriors transferring on from Looney, with them properly parting methods with a fan favourite on the proper time.
