After most recently talking about Jordan Poole's goals for the 2025-26 season, it's time for part five of my series, where I give goals for the entire New Orleans Pelicans roster for this next season. In this part, I'll be talking about the Pelicans' big free agent signing and someone Poole won a championship with in 2022, Kevon Looney.
When the Pelicans signed Looney extremely early in free agency, many of us were shocked. Despite playing a lesser role in 2024-25 with the Warriors, it felt like he was a lifer in Golden State, spending 10 years there and helping bring three championships to the city. However, all good things come to an end, and ultimately, Looney felt disrespected by the Warriors and thought it was better off signing elsewhere.
The addition of Looney left many questions about who should start at center for New Orleans this season. But, after Yves Missi and rookie Derik Queen's poor summer league performances, it became apparent that the starting spot belonged to Looney.
The addition of Looney is huge, as New Orleans has had a paint protector, rebounder, and screen setter of this level since Steven Adams back in 2020-21. It won’t be hard for the 29-year-old to help the Pelicans this season, as his winning style of basketball would raise any team's floor.
For Looney, his one goal this season should be to continue the same approach he’s taken throughout his NBA career, which is playing winning basketball.
He can’t let his age catch up to him
With Looney turning 30 during the 2025-26 season, his goal should be to avoid the grasp of Father Time for one more year. Now that may be easier said than done, but Looney has been an Iron Man throughout his career, missing just 14 games over the last four years.
If he can dig deep and give the Pelicans a good 6 points and 9 rebounds while also holding down the paint and setting big screens, then this season will be a success for him.
With the Pelicans drafting big men in back-to-back drafts, the plan is obvious. Looney was brought in to be a reliable vet for a year, and then by next season, he can go to a smaller role, with Queen or Missi stepping into that starting role.
We often see players hit 30 and have their career head downhill, especially when they are a very physical player like Looney. With him turning 30 midway through this next season, his biggest goal should be to avoid the curse of age.