NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The New Orleans Pelicans declined a team option on the contract of veteran center Kevon Looney over the weekend, according to Yahoo Sports.
The three-time NBA Champion is now an unrestricted free agent.
New Orleans Pelicans are expected to decline the $8M team option on veteran center Kevon Looney, making the 3-time NBA champ an unrestricted free agent, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/U45QTgHWKy
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 27, 2026
While he was expected to fill a major role in New Orleans, injuries and roster changes caused Looney to fall out of the rotation.
Yahoo Sports reports that the Knicks and Celtics expect to be suitors for Looney in free agency.
The move leaves only one true center on the Pelicans’ roster, Yves Missi. Second-year player Derik Queen has logged starts at center but has seen significant playing time at power forward.
The Pelicans are expected to pursue a center in free agency or through potential trades.
See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.
Subscribe to the Fox 8 YouTube channel.
Copyright 2026 WVUE. All rights reserved.