Apr 13, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevon Looney (5) warms up before the game between the Golden State Warriors and the LA Clippers at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Steve Kerr Makes Kevon Looney Statement That Should Excite Pelicans Fans

Originally posted on New Orleans Pelicans on SI
By Logan Struck | Last updated Oct 7, 2025 12:08 PM ET

The New Orleans Pelicans made waves throughout the 2025 NBA offseason, and even though they have received some criticism for their roster moves, there is certainly some optimism about what is to come.

The Pelicans' offseason additions are headlined by a trade with the Washington Wizards that landed them Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey, while rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen could make an impact as well. However, the most underrated pick-up was in free agency, as the Pelicans signed veteran center Kevon Looney.

Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The Pelicans signed Looney to a two-year deal worth $16 million, and the 29-year-old big man should be a game-changer for this New Orleans team in need of more veteran leadership and championship experience.

Looney's impact as a leader

Looney played significant roles in two championship runs with the Golden State Warriors, and his former team has not been afraid to express how much they will miss his presence. However, that simply means that the Pelicans will benefit from the underrated offseason addition.

In a recent appearance on the "TK Show" with Tim Kawakami, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr talked about how he and his team are missing Kevon Looney.

"Yeah. You guys know my love for Loon — on and off the court," Kerr said. "We're gonna miss his screening. We're gonna miss his offensive rebounding. We're gonna miss just how solid he is every day. And yeah — the locker room leadership.

"You know, Ron Adams told me the other day — he said, ‘Loon might have been the best leader I’ve ever seen in my life.’ And yep, so I agree with that... we’re gonna — we’re gonna really miss Loon."

Looney has seemingly earned a starting spot in his debut season with the Pelicans, as he started over Yves Missi in both of New Orleans' preseason games so far. Of course, reuniting Looney with Jordan Poole, who won a championship together in Golden State, was a great move by New Orleans, and everything else that the veteran big man brings to the team is severely underrated.

The Pelicans likely love to hear how much the Warriors are going to miss having Looney, as that shows how much of an impact, on and off the court, he should have in New Orleans. While Looney does not necessarily raise the Pelicans' ceiling to compete in the West, he is a floor raiser that undoubtedly makes the team better.

This article first appeared on New Orleans Pelicans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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