Warriors News: Rising Golden State Big Man Opted For Success Over Money

The Golden State Warriors will be a team to watch this coming NBA season although at a different level. The Dubs lost some big names but still have their original big three of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. They also retained some promising young stars like Kevon Looney.

The 30th pick of the 2015 NBA Draft had a good showing last season and critics felt that he was bound to play somewhere else. The 23-year-old center-forward seemed due for a big payday but opted to stick it out with the Dubs.

Speaking to The Athletic, Looney explained how he ended up staying with the Warriors. Part of it was that he would be getting more playing time and admitting that he would rather play for a good team than earn big bucks.

"Would you rather take a little bit more and not be on a good team? That's what it came down to. I could always hear my vets in the back of my ear. They always say, 'Get every dollar … but … as long as you can be here, stay. There's no other place like this,'" said Looney, who agreed to a three-year deal worth $15 million.

With the departure of Kevin Durant, Looney is expected to be coach Steve Kerr's new main man. The Dubs did add Willie Cauley-Stein for added height. However, it remains that Looney holds the advantage since he is already familiar with the Dubs' system.

The Warriors have a tough season ahead as they try to figure out how to hurdle the Western Conference gauntlet. The Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and the Houston Rockets are favorites for the coming season with their souped-up lineups but the Dubs remain dangerous.

In a previous post, Green said that no team would want to meet them in the playoffs. He feels that they have the right personnel to still figure well in the postseason wars. His take comes not long after Curry also said that it would be foolish to count them out. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player feels that once the new guys blend in, they will be a tough team to beat.