This offseason, the Boston Celtics have already had their fair share of tragedy. And now, as if losing Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday wasn’t bad enough, it appears they’ll be watching Luke Kornet walk out the door next. The San Antonio Spurs are expected to sign Kornet in the early phases of free agency. There’s no denying that this is another huge blow to a fanbase already bracing for a transition year without Jayson Tatum.
Let’s not pretend Kornet was a secret weapon. If you’ve been paying attention to this team at all, you know precisely what the big man means for them.
Kornet wasn’t flashy, nor was he a nightly double-double danger. However, number 40 provided Boston with something rare on the open market: size, effort, and a thorough understanding of his function. He filled in the holes, safeguarded the paint, and played drop coverage as if he invented it.
It’s difficult to say which hurts more: losing a genuinely beloved locker room player or losing him to the Spurs, a club with a legitimate possibility of moving up in the Western Conference next season. This one stings, anyway.
Luke Kornet will join the San Antonio Spurs.
The context of Kornet’s leaving adds to his frustration. The Celtics are no longer reloading, but rather entering a new era. With Tatum projected to miss the most, if not all, of next season due to an Achilles injury, and Holiday and Porzingis already out, this team is entering unknown terrain. The title window isn’t slammed shut, but things seem very different than they did a year ago.
Boston now has fewer players who can perform at a high level in the playoffs, which is where Kornet’s worth truly shines. He constantly took on any challenge Joe Mazzulla threw at him, and he rarely missed a beat.
Last season, he was the only consistent rim presence off the bench.
Replacing the dependability Kornet brought to the floor is not as simple as it appears. Brad Stevens will undoubtedly have a strategy, as he always does. But, as a Celtics fan, you have every right to be unhappy right now. For a team that is suddenly looking for stability, losing a rock like Luke only makes matters worse.
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