Aron Baynes. Joakim Noah. Cristiano Felicio. John Henson.

What do all these big men have in common?

They will all be paid more than Warriors’ Kevon Looney next season.

Facing a hard-cap following the Russell trade, the Warriors were severely constrained in what they could offer Looney.

A 3-year, $15 million contract was the most the Warriors could muster after accounting for minimum contracts to round out the roster, which many felt would be meagre compared to what the 23-year old would receive on the market.

While the rest of the NBA fanbase eagerly awaited Kawhi Leonard’s impending free agency decision, Dub Nation quietly rejoiced once Wojnarowski announced Looney’s resigning on a three-year deal, with the final year being a player option.

The big man took pride in being labelled “one of our foundational pieces” by coach Steve Kerr.

“I have a special bond with this team,” Looney said in an interview with the Bay Area News Group. “I love the Bay Area. I wanted to be a part of something special. It’s one of those things that you can be on a different team and be with a new star and go out there for more minutes. But when you have the chance to win with people that you like, you can’t take that away.

Looney’s game might not seem critical to the untrained eye, but his value is apparent when delving into the numbers.

The Warriors were +10.6 points per 100 possessions in Looney’s minutes last regular season. That number jumped to +12.4 points per 100 possessions in the postseason. With Looney off the floor in the playoffs, the Warriors were -2.9 points per 100 possessions.

A roster featuring multiple MVPs and a former DPOY was unable to post a positive plus-minus with Looney off the floor. Granted, Looney played most of his minutes alongside multiple starters, but that figure is nonetheless staggering.

The former 30th overall pick’s skills might not translate well to an Instagram highlight montage, but his coach is more than aware of the youngster’s worth to the team.

"That was a huge signing for us," Kerr said of Looney on The Warriors Insider Podcast. "Had we lost Kevon, we would've been in big trouble because – I said it late last year – he's become one of our foundational pieces."

Bound by the championship expectations that came with leading a roster replete with talent for the last 5 years, Kerr was unable to extend longer leashes for incoming young talent.

This contributed to the stunted development of Jordan Bell, Jacob Evans, Damian Jones and the infamous departure of Patrick McCaw.

Looney, however, has embraced the positive aspects of being on a star-studded roster. Looney, who was dubbed as the “next KD” by a Ballislife YouTube mixtape in high school, has spent significant time during the past off-seasons working out with Durant and player development coach Rico Hines. Despite his lack of opportunities at the start of his career, Looney’s attitude never wavered. According to Warriors assistant coach Chris DeMarco, Looney hasn’t been late to a single practice or drill during his Warriors tenure.

“There’s no secret drill,” DeMarco told Ethan Strass of The Athletic. “It’s just work. He hasn’t skipped any steps and now it’s to this point.”

His minutes per game steadily increased from 4.2 in his rookie campaign to 8.4 to 13.8 to 18.5 last season.

Kerr mused that he would love to see Looney’s playtime increase to over 30 minutes a contest next season. Kerr also noted he would like to see Looney shoot corner 3s.

“We’re going to give him every opportunity to expand his game,” Kerr said.

Looney shot 42% from downtown on 1.5 attempts a game in his lone season for the Bruins, but was asked to shelve his stroke in the NBA given the talents surrounding him.

Last season, Looney shot 58% on 10-16 feet shots and 52% on shots from 16 feet to the three point mark showing definite capability of an increased offensive role and potential for a threatening three ball.

In the modern NBA where spacing is increasingly valued, it is difficult to have multiple non-shooters on the floor at the same time. Draymond Green’s three-point shooting accuracy has plunged to 28.5% last season, a far cry from the 38.8% he posted in 2015-16.

If Looney manages to develop a respectable outside shot, it will open driving lanes for Warriors’ guards and increase the flexibility Kerr can flex in his rotations.

Kerr will rely on Looney to take on an increased defensive burden with the departure of the likes of Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston.

With his 7’4 wingspan, Looney serves as a useful deterrent at the rim. His ability to switch out to the perimeter allows Kerr to keep him on the floor against all matchups.

While other Warriors defenders were struggling to adequately cover James Harden and his patented step-back three without fouling in the Western Conference Semifinals, Looney showed remarkable discipline staying crouched in front of Harden and contesting his jump shots without making contact.

Without Klay Thompson to start the season, the Warriors will likely start a backcourt of Stephen Curry and D’Angelo Russell. Pundits have already voiced their fears of the viability of the backcourt defensively. Looney will become even more vital as a rim protector to keep the Warriors afloat defensively.

His old man offensive game, filled with crafty finishes, rock-solid screens and a wealth of patience, coupled with his relative lack of athleticism may obscure viewers of his actual age – 23.

Looney struggled with hip injuries during his collegiate career and the first two years of his pro career. He had already been through two surgeries by the end of his rookie season, sapping him of his mobility and verticality.

Over the years, Looney has seemed to become increasingly athletic, showing off his mobility in front of speedy guards and verticality catching lobs.

“They tell you, you play like I did with your hips being wrong your whole life, you’ve got a lot of untapped potential, a lot of untapped athleticism. Hopefully that’s true and I can find it.”

If it is true, the Warriors could be staring at the best value contract in the NBA for the next two years.