Warriors Hold On To Kevon Looney; Jordan Bell Signs With Minnesota
(CBS SF) -- The Golden State Warriors moved swiftly to keep a key member of their squad following the departure of free agent Kevin Durant and the trading of veteran Andre Iguodala.
Free agent center Kevon Looney has reportedly signed a three-year, $15 million deal to remain with the Warriors, according to multiple reports. The move was first reported by Stadium and The Athletic reporter Shams Charania.
Looney averaged a career-best 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds a game while starting 24 of the 80 regular season games. He was a major contributor in the playoffs last season as DeMarcus Cousins worked his way back from injury, even as Looney played through a costal cartilage fracture during the NBA Finals.
The 6-foot-9, 225-pound Looney saw little playing time in his first two years with the Warriors because of injuries, but in the 2017–18 season he was became part of the regular at center, helping the Warriors win a second straight championship.
Also Monday, free agent power forward/center Jordan Bell will sign a one-year deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to published reports. The move was first reported by Yahoo! Sports.
Selected in the 2nd round of the 2017 Draft by the Warriors, Bell has averaged 3.3 points, 2.7 rebounds while starting in just 16 games over the last two seasons.
Bell was suspended in May for "conduct detrimental to the team" after reportedly making unauthorized charges to Warriors assistant coach Mike Brown's hotel room in Memphis.
Mark Medina of the Mercury News reported that Bell also was courted by the Rockets, the Thunder and the Jazz, but ultimately chose Minnesota, where he is expected to get much more playing time while teaming up with star center Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Timberwolves moved to sign Bell after their prime free agent target, All-Star guard D'Angelo Russell, signed with the Warriors instead.
Treveon Graham and Shabazz Napier, who were also sent to the Warriors as part of the Russell sign-and-trade deal, have been subsequently dealt to Minnesota as well.
