July 7: The signing is official, per the transaction log at NBA.com.
According to Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link), Kornet’s deal is only fully guaranteed for two seasons, with a small partial guarantee ($2.55MM) on year three and a fourth-year team option. The contract has a descending structure, with a first-year cap hit of $11MM, Katz adds.
June 30: Free agent center Luke Kornet will head from Boston to San Antonio, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the Spurs and Kornet are in agreement on a four-year contract worth $41MM.
The fourth year of Kornet’s new deal, which figures to be completed using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, will be a team option, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Kornet has played the last three-and-a-half seasons with the Celtics, carving out a role for himself as a valuable third-string center and averaging 10.2 minutes per game over the course of Boston’s title run in 2024.
Kornet averaged a career-high 18.6 minutes per game in 2024/25 due in part to Kristaps Porzingis‘ health issues. Boston had a +14.9 net rating during Kornet’s 1,361 minutes of action — no Celtics player had an individual net rating higher than that.
Despite coming into the league as a stretch five, the 7’2″ center has almost completely removed the three-point shot from his game, and instead has become more paint-focused while staying an imposing rim protector on defense.
Kornet has averaged one block per game in each of the last two seasons despite playing fewer than 20 minutes per night, and his defense was a notable contribution during the Celtics’ playoff series with the Knicks.
While the Celtics had hoped to retain the 29-year-old’s services, the Spurs quickly emerged as a prime target to make Kornet their backup center behind cornerstone Victor Wembanyama.
The Clippers were also said to have interest in Kornet, but ended up agreeing to terms with Brook Lopez.
Love this for the Spurs!
Likewise, but I think it’s incorrect to call him a back up center to Wemby. I can totally see the Spurs playing the two of them together for parts of games because Cornett is a true center and he will free up Wemby to do all the other things
Spurs, Rockets, Mavs in a damn 1980’s-like arms race. I love it. A lot of ballers in TX right now
didn’t see that coming but Spurs seeing Houston getting better goes all in to get better. West keeps getting tougher.
Awesome backup for wemby.
Happy to see Kornet get paid! Sure wish he stayed in Boston but the Spurs are a good org so all good!
Agree 100%. He’ll be awesome for San Antonio.
Let the force be with Luke Skyblocker.
A tad more than Boston could afford. Kornet was awesome. I was watching him play for the Maine Celtics a few years back when he didn’t even have a contract with the team.
He worked for it.
MAY THE REIGN OF NEEMIAS QUEETA BEGIN!
Queta is good, but he fouls way too much. Needs to have that coached out of him.
I was being facetious, but he def has the ability to be a rotation big in the NBA. Higher ceiling than Kornet for sure, but a much lower floor. Which is why Kornet got most of the minutes, obviously.
It was Kornet’s time.
I thought he could get a bit more AAV, but that 4-year deal is nice.
Stock up on SPF, Luke!
Terrible. Celtics couldn’t even pay Luke $11 million a year for 4 years? Luke is worth a lot more to the Celts than that. Well, ok, good luck Luke! At least you’re from Texas so sort of a homecoming.
Celtics prolly giving Horford that money
No, they couldn’t. They’re pretty hamstrung this year.
Good for Luke. Finally got his deal. Solid vet big. Congrats Luke ……. balling.
Hahahaha, Kornet is laughing at everyone. Good for him.
Yeah, you sure got Kornet figured out.
Luke is exceptional at getting offensive rebounds and kicking it to 3 pt shooters.
He is so big, the Celtics would spread the floor and allow him 1 on 1 rebounding v. smaller players.
Trust me the Spurs will be very happy with him and they will play both him and Wemby together.