Pelicans’ Kevon Looney to decline $8 million player option

The New Orleans Pelicans are heading into another reset, and a familiar veteran looks set to be the first casualty. They are expected to decline its $8 million team option on center Kevon Looney, NBA insider Chris Haynes reported.

The move would make the three-time NBA champion an unrestricted free agent.

The decision frees up cap space for a Pelicans team that finished with another disappointing season. Letting Looney go is one of the cleaner ways for New Orleans to open up room in free agency. Early projections had the move clearing close to $13 million in space, enough to chase a quality rotation player.

The Pelicans signed Looney in free agency in July 2025, handing the veteran a two-year, $16 million deal after he spent his first 10 seasons with the Golden State Warriors. The idea was to bring in a steady, championship-tested big man to anchor the frontcourt next to Zion Williamson and rookie Derik Queen.

That vision never came together. Looney got off to a rough start and spent most of the season out of the rotation, finishing with just 2.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in a reduced role.

That is a steep drop for a player who built his reputation as a reliable interior presence with the Warriors. Looney won three titles in the Bay Area and earned a name as one of the best offensive rebounders in the league during the Warriors’ dynasty years.

The veteran still carries value as a locker room voice and a respected leader. That reputation should help him find a new home, likely on the bench of a contender looking for frontcourt depth and experience.

For the Pelicans, the call is about flexibility. The front office has hinted at running it back with the core that closed the season, so the cap space created here points toward targeted additions rather than a full rebuild.

But nothing is official yet. The Pelicans have not formally announced the decision, and the option deadline will confirm the move in the coming days.

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