LAS VEGAS – Like countless tourists who visit this city, the Warriors took a gamble on their future.

To ensure they would get something for Kevin Durant leaving for Brooklyn, they acquired D’Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade. That bolstered their backcourt, but it also put them up against a hard salary cap, making it uncertain that they afford to re-sign Kevon Looney.

“I was thinking what everybody else was thinking: ‘Man, what will it mean for me and what’s going to happen?’” Looney said in an interview with the Bay Area News Group. “Everybody was shocked by the trade.”

Unlike countless tourists who visit this city, the Warriors still walked away with their chips. They maneuvered their salary cap by trading veteran Andre Iguodala and a protected 2024 first-round pick to Memphis for a $17.2-million trade exception. Three days later, the Warriors and Looney agreed on a three-year, $15- million deal.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr had called Looney “one of our foundational pieces,” and the Warriors put action to his words. Looney considered Kerr’s remarks a “great compliment” and then learned that Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green share similar sentiments.

“To get respect from those guys and your coaches is always going to be big. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to come back,” Looney said. “I have a special bond with this team. 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.”

Durant did not have the same feelings Looney has toward the Warriors. The Warriors offered Durant a five-year, $221 million contract, far more than Brooklyn’s four-year, $164 million deal. The Warriors also had championship equity after winning two NBA titles in the past three years since Durant joined them. Instead, Durant teamed up with close friend Kyrie Irving with the Nets with hopes he can win at a high level elsewhere once he expectedly returns in 2020-21 after rehabbing his right Achilles tendon.

Get the latest Warriors news by subscribing to Bay Area News Group. Digital access is only 99 cents for three months. Print delivery is as low as $4 a week.

It remains up for debate to what extent Durant took issue with Green’s profanity-laced argument, Kerr’s system or the ongoing criticism for joining a star-studded Warriors team in the first place. After all, Looney said he recently talked with Durant and reported that he “felt in good spirits” since injuring his right Achilles tendon against the Toronto Raptors in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. What is not up for debate? The Warriors had long anticipated Durant’s departure ever since he re-signed on only a so-called “one-plus-one” deal last summer that gave him the option to become a free agent again this offseason.

“We all knew it was 50-50,” Looney said of Durant’s chances of staying or leaving. “We all hoped he would come back. But he’s always going to be our brother, man. We had been through a lot of battles and great moments with him. Those moments, no one can take them away from us. He went out there, gave his all and got hurt. I know he did what was best for him and his family.”

Meanwhile, Looney considered it best for himself and his family to favor the Warriors, who drafted him in 2015 at No. 30. After remaining hobbled with injuries through his first two NBA seasons, Looney became a dependable forward and occasional center as both a starter and reserve. So when Looney met with the Warriors on the first day of free agency on Sunday, it was not surprising that the tean’s majority owner (Joe Lacob), general manager (Bob Myers) and assistant general managers (Larry Harris, Kirk Lacob) all spoke with him.

“They expressed to me how much they wanted me. I heard them out and slept on it for a little bit,” Looney said. “I felt like it was the best option.”

Looney also listened to Houston, Phoenix, Boston, Chicago and Dallas. He won two NBA titles with the Warriors with Hall-of-Fame teammates and a coaching staff that he trusts, though. So, Looney favored the home team.

“It’s a place I felt comfortable in, and I knew the system,” Looney said. “I was getting similar offers. But for me to leave, I always had in my head that it had to be something that had to be substantially more. All of the offers were near each other. So I felt comfortable staying put.”

When Looney next wears his Warriors uniform in about 2 ½ months, he will join a much different team.

Without Durant, the Warriors other wing options include Glenn Robinson III and Alfonzo McKinnie. Thompson will remain sidelined until at least December because of a torn ACL in his left knee. Looney admitted the Warriors will struggle without Iguodala’s defense, playmaking and steady leadership presence. With the Warriors not retaining DeMarcus Cousins and Jordan Bell, they will lean on Willie Cauley-Stein, Looney, Damian Jones and possibly Alen Smailagić at the center spots.

“To see them get rid of a guy like Andre, who is a big core of our team is tough. It’s a bitter-sweet situation,” Looney said. “It’s great to get a great player like D’Angelo. But to lose a great leader like Andre, it’s going to be different next year.”

Not dramatically different enough, though, for the Warriors to expect to have their season end in April.

“A lot of people are counting us out with Klay being hurt. But we all know what it takes,” Looney said. “We still got Steph. We still got Draymond. When you have those two, we’re right where we need to be.”

Even with Curry as the lone Warriors’ player to be at least 30 years old, are the Warriors good enough to make the playoffs? Looney shook his head affirmatively. He then clarified.

“We still want to be a championship team. That’s what we talked about last time we were in the locker room — that we’re going to be back,” Looney said. “We have a whole new cast of characters, but we still have enough to figure it out.”

One of the many things for the Warriors to figure out: How will the Warriors offset Iguodala’s absence considering his varying job description as a defender, playmaker, mentor, reserve and closer?

“He was the guy I went to on the court when I had questions or I didn’t know what was going on. He was somebody I could go talk to or go to somebody for advice — on and off the court. We’re going to miss that,” Looney said. “Steve will have to find somebody he trusts in that role.”

Naturally, Curry and Green will likely assume a heavier load, if they have not done so already. Looney might be considered an option, though, even though he enters only his fifth season. Consider the 24-year-old Looney has more experience than McKinnie, Jacob Evans, Eric Paschall, Jordan Poole and Smailagić.

“I have vet status,” Looney said, laughing. “I’ll try to take over that role a little bit.”

Looney might have to exert himself in the new rotation spot, too. Will Kerr start Looney because of his experience? Or will Kerr keep Looney with the same reserve role because of his consistency there? Either way, the Warriors plan to play at a faster pace with more pick-and-rolls compared to the more plodding and methodical pace they played with Cousins.

“It’ll be real fun at that position. We’re really young and athletic. We’ll have some highlights,” Looney said. “You have D’Angelo in the pick-and-roll now. That’s another guy we can play off of and is a great passer. I think our bigs will have a lot of opportunity to run the floor and catch lobs.”

How well that plays out might largely depend on Looney.

He estimated he is “a couple of weeks away from feeling 100 percent” after suffering a fracture in his chest and ribcage area in Game 2 of the Finals. He missed only one game, playing in great pain in Games 4-6.

Lonney wants to perfect his finishing at the rim off of pick-and-rolls. He plans to sharpen his decision-making in the post. Of course, Looney will grab rebounds and make defensive stops. Looney might also score in ways other than putbacks and open layups.

“Steve wanted me to shoot 3’s last year, but I had worked on a 15-footer all summer so I kept it at that,” Looney said. “I’ll keep expanding and extending my range.”

For now, though, Looney is just ready to relax. He watched the Warriors’ Summer League game Friday from a courtside seat, eventually sharing a hug with Mike Brown and other Warriors assistant coaches.

Days earlier, Looney had been unsure of his future with the Warriors. Now?

“To be a part of a cornerstone of a team that is considered a dynasty,” Looney said, “is big time for me.”

WARRIORS HQ PODCAST: Be sure to visit our podcast page at mercurynews.com. You can also get notified of new episodes on iTunes, Google Play Music, Spotify, Stitcher and SoundCloud.

* * *

Follow Bay Area News Group Warriors beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.