UCLA Alum, Looney's Fit With His New Team

Now that it’s been a couple of weeks, there’s no better time to analyze the fit for former UCLA Bruin Kevon Looney, who signed with the New Orleans Pelicans during NBA free agency.

This will be Looney’s first stop in a destination other than the Golden State Warriors, where he was a key cog in the machine that was the Warriors dynasty.

Looney took home three championships, serving as a role player for the first two and starting the majority of games during the 2022 campaign.

But it was time to move on from the place he called home for the past 10 seasons, especially after this past year, when he felt slighted by a coach he thought trusted him.

In the first round of the playoffs, where the Warriors squared off against the Houston Rockets, Looney was hardly used. He only averaged 9.1 minutes per game, even though the team was in a situation he was all too familiar with.

Speaking on the “Warriors Plus Minus” podcast, Looney gave us a peek behind the curtain:

"We're going up against Steven Adams, this is what I do. They're not really giving me the chance to really let me do what I do. It's like, alright, you guys don't trust me."

Instead, Warriors coach Steve Kerr leaned heavily on his stars. Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, and Brandin Podziemski were logging well over 40 minutes at times.

Let’s make no mistake here: Looney isn’t Shaq. He’s no Dirk. He’s no Jokic. What he is, though, is a veteran who has proven he can stifle opposing big men, and he brings championship pedigree to the floor.

Essentially, Kerr felt Green was the better option to guard a guy like Adams. And while Green is an elite defender with a dog-like mentality, Adams still has five inches and 30 pounds on him.

Now Looney enters the Big Easy, where the Pelicans are fresh off a brutal 21–61 record. They brought in Basketball Hall of Famer Joe Dumars to lead the charge and reshape the roster — and Dumars brought in Looney.

The UCLA alum is a breath of fresh air for the Pelicans. He knows what it takes to win. He’s managed to stay healthy for the majority of his career, something the Pelicans desperately need.

Superstar Zion Williamson is the poster child for that struggle. Despite his electric talent and ability to fill seats, he’s missed more games than he’s played in six seasons.

The Pelicans have longed for a traditional center. They tried making it work with Jonas Valančiūnas, but that was more of a stopgap than a long-term solution.

Maybe Looney isn’t a long-term fix either, but he is a needed piece. The Pelicans ranked 21st in points allowed, 29th in rebounds, and 19th in assists allowed to centers last season.

That’s where Looney comes in.

He’s not a burner by any stretch, and expecting him to reinvent the wheel would be a foolish ask. But players like Looney are the straw that stirs the drink.

New Orleans has so much talent, but its issues with health and immaturity have haunted them.

So when a healthy, developed winner was just sitting there in free agency, waiting to be taken on a team-friendly deal comes along?

Jackpot.