Heading into the offseason, Luke Kornet was viewed as one player the Boston Celtics were going to have a hard time retaining. This proved to be the case following his decision to sign a lucrative multi-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs. As Kornet prepares for this next chapter of his career, he’s been dubbed one of this offseason’s sneakiest additions.
Kornet is far from a star player, but has shined in his role as a backup center for the Celtics. Playing just 18 minutes a night last season, he averaged 6.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 1.0 BPG. He now joins a Spurs team that has one of the league’s top frontcourt talents in Victor Wembanyama. Kornet will likely take on the minutes behind the former No. 1 pick, but there could be instances where the two seven-footers are sharing the floor together. Seeing that Wembayama’s game stretches beyond the arc, there are no spacing concerns offensively.
Earlier this week, Brian Martin of NBA.com laid out the top underrated moves of the offseason. Kornet’s signing made an appearance on this list as the Spurs look to start climbing the ranks in the Western Conference.
The Spurs wasted little time in adding Kornet, agreeing to a four-year deal with the former Celtics reserve center just hours into free agency. The move secures a backup center for Victor Wembanyama and offers the Spurs a chance to unleash a “Twin Towers” lineup with the 7-foot-1 Kornet alongside the 7-foot-3 Wembanyama. While Wembanyama’s signature is his versatility, Kornet offers the Spurs a more traditional center.
Between Wembanyama and Kornet, opposing teams are going to have a tough time scoring around the rim on the Spurs. On the other end, the veteran big man is efficient with his touches at the basket, and is a good screener. This bodes well for San Antonio’s plethora of guards that features All-Star De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper.
As a high-quality role player who brings playoff and championship experience, Kornet could end up being one of the valuable free agency additions in the NBA this year.
