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Steve Kerr Feels He Found the Best Replacement for Kevon Looney
Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Golden State Warriors had a quiet offseason until the last few days ahead of training camp. One of the rumored signings all summer was Al Horford, who is an older player, but he brings plenty of positives to the team.

Since Kevon Looney left the Warriors in the 2025 offseason, the team has been lacking centers. With Horford, they have a proven big man who fits right in with the number of veterans on the roster that Steve Kerr will be coaching.

Looney's exit hurts for the Warriors, considering he played for the team for a decade. He was one of the longest-tenured players alongside the core duo of Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

With Jimmy Butler on the roster, the team looks set on the small window presented by Curry and Green. The core is mostly older players, and Horford is another addition to that plan, as they keep going all-in on their championship window.

Kerr Loves What Horford Brings to the Team

As one of the most experienced players in the NBA, Horford is still one of the most reliable players. Since getting drafted in 2007, Horford has been a great player for any team he has played for.

After a long time playing as one of the league's most respected big men, he finally won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2024. Now that he is in the twilight of his career, Horford wants to keep going, and he is doing it in Golden State.

Considering Looney left, Horford is one of the best players to fill his shoes. Looney was respected in Golden State, but Horford might be a better fit, considering his ability to impact on both ends of the floor.

Kerr feels the same way, as he knows Looney was a big departure, but he feels Horford is the right fit.

"I've had people from Boston text me, call me, rave about how much he meant. We're going to need that without [Loon]. Losing Loon, we lost a piece of our soul. "We're gonna miss Loon, and I feel very lucky to have Al to fill in some of that void," Kerr said in a Warriors presser.

The Warriors are an Underrated Team Ahead of the 2025-26 Season

Some people might be counting out the Warriors too early just because they have an older core. Despite their age, they are all still effective, as Curry is still a top point guard, Green is still a top-tier defender, and Butler is still a fantastic wing.

Adding Horford to the mix brings stability, leadership, and solid defense for the team. There is still a young group of players on the team, including Brandin Podziemski, who will start at shooting guard.

It will be an interesting campaign because of the abundance of talent on the roster. Some of them might be older, but the Warriors have the quality to keep fighting and proving that they deserve to be called a top team again.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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