Pelicans’ Kevon Looney Out At Least 2 Weeks With Knee Sprain

New Orleans Pelicans big man Kevon Looney has been diagnosed with a proximal tibiofibular ligament sprain in his left knee and will be re-evaluated in two to three weeks, the team announced Wednesday.

The injury occurred during New Orleans’ preseason game against the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Oct. 5. The Pelicans said they further updates will be provided as appropriate.

Kevon Looney Signed Two-Year Deal With Pelicans

During the offseason, Looney signed a two-year, $16 million deal with the Pelicans after spending the first 10 seasons of his career with the Golden State Warriors and winning three NBA championships with the franchise.

Per Spotrac, the 29-year-old became an unrestricted free agent after completing the final season of a three-year, $22.5 million contract. He earned $8 million in his final year with the Dubs.

Golden State selected the 6-foot-9 center with the 30th pick out of UCLA in the 2015 draft. He holds career averages of 5.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 17.2 minutes per game.

Pelicans announce that Kevon Looney has been diagnosed with a proximal tibiofibular ligament sprain in his left knee. The injury occurred during the Pelicans’ preseason game against the South East Melbourne Phoenix on Oct. 5. Looney will be re-evaluated in 2-3 weeks and further… pic.twitter.com/RRDF3utVXA

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 15, 2025

Last season, Looney averaged 4.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 76 games (six starts). Per ESPN Stats & Information, he ranked in the top 10 in offensive rebounding percentage among players to play 40 or more games.

According to GeniusIQ, Looney also played a key role in off-ball screen actions with the Warriors, ranking in the top five in off-ball screens set per 100 possessions.

Karlo Matkovic Could Receive Increased Playing Time

The Pelicans added Looney this past summer to bolster their frontcourt depth chart alongside second-year center Yves Missi and rookie Derik Queen, who is recovering from surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left wrist.

Miss played in 73 games (67 starts) as a rookie and averaged 9.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 26.8 minutes per contest while shooting 54.7% from the floor.

Second-year big man Karlo Matkovic could also receive an increased role early in the campaign, as New Orleans has been dealing with injuries and a weak depth chart up front dating back to last season.

Matkovic played 42 games (seven starts) for the Pelicans last season and averaged 7.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, and 18.8 minutes per contest while shooting 57.4% from the field.

The Pelicans open their 2025-26 season on Oct. 22 at Memphis.