Luke Kornet Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Spurs To Sign Luke Kornet To Four-Year Deal

June 30th, 2025 at 6:30pm CST by Eli Cohen

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.

Celtics Rumors: White, Horford, Kornet, Gonzalez

June 29th, 2025 at 8:02pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Celtics have had one of the busiest offseasons of any team ahead of the start of free agency, having already agreed to trade Jrue Holiday to the Trail Blazers and Kristaps Porzingis to the Hawks, and they might not be done.

With Boston still working to move off salary and create extra cap flexibility in the wake of Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles tear, Anfernee Simons, Georges Niang, and Sam Hauser have all been mentioned as trade candidates. There has also been speculation about whether Jaylen Brown or Derrick White could be moved, though Celtics vice president of basketball operations Mike Zarren made it clear in recent days that the team has not come close to trading either player.

According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), one rival team was told the Celtics would have insisted on a “Mikal Bridges-type” package to trade White.

The Knicks’ deal for Bridges last season included five first-round picks (four unprotected), a pick swap, and a second-round pick. The Magic’s recent trade for Desmond Bane required a similar package, with Orlando sending out four unprotected picks and one pick swap along with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony for salary-matching purposes.

White averaged a career-high 16.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game this past season for the Celtics, along with 4.8 assists and 1.1 blocks. He also shot 38.4% from three on a career-best 9.1 attempts per contest. The 30-year-old guard is in the first year of a four-year, $118MM contract that includes a player option in the 2028/29 season.

Here’s more on the Celtics:

Free agent center Al Horford is weighing his options and is unlikely to come to a decision right away when free agency opens tomorrow, reports Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). The Celtics have been looking into flipping newly-acquired Simons and Niang in the hopes of retaining one or both of Horford or Luke Kornet, though Horford is expected to have several suitors, including, potentially, the Knicks.
Speaking of Kornet, the veteran center proved himself a valuable rotation big man this season, averaging 6.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.0 block in just 18.6 minutes per game this season. Brian Robb of MassLive broke down the teams who might be in the mix for Kornet this summer. His list includes the Spurs and Clippers, who are expected to consider pursuing the big man, as well as the Warriors, Bucks, and Hornets, the latter of whom are in dire need of frontcourt depth after trading Jusuf Nurkic for Collin Sexton. Robb adds that there is a mutual fondness between Kornet and the team, which holds his Bird rights, but re-signing him without any additional cost-cutting moves would push the Celtics back into the second apron, which they are hoping to avoid.
In case you missed it, the Celtics reportedly sought prospects who might be willing to accept 80% of the rookie scale contract at No. 28 in the 2025 draft. The player they selected, Hugo Gonzalez, didn’t agree ahead of time to those terms, however.

Stein’s Latest: NAW, Schröder, Jerome, Grimes, Kornet, Nuggets

June 29th, 2025 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons and the Hawks have been described as the two best bets to sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker away from the Timberwolves when free agency gets underway, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Both Detroit and Atlanta have previously been reported as potential suitors for Alexander-Walker, along with teams like the Clippers and Magic. The expectation is that he’ll command offers in the range of the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which will start at a projected $14.1MM. He might even end up getting more than that, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.

While Minnesota has expressed a desire to retain Alexander-Walker, the club has already committed to Naz Reid on a lucrative new five-year deal and is expected to retain Julius Randle as well. Re-signing Alexander-Walker to a market-value contract would likely send the Wolves’ team salary soaring beyond the second tax apron.

As for the Pistons, there has been consistent reporting this week indicating that their free agent guard Dennis Schröder may end up signing with the Kings. While Schröder didn’t exactly confirm that this weekend during a Twitch stream, he suggested he’s unlikely to return to Detroit.

“I want to stay in Detroit for sure, but Detroit ain’t waiting for me, I can tell you that much,” Schröder said (Twitter video link). “Detroit ain’t waiting for me.”

Here’s more from Stein:

The Hornets and Grizzlies have been consistently mentioned as teams expected to pursue free agent guard Ty Jerome, according to Stein. Reporting earlier today indicated that Utah also may be in the mix for the Sixth Man of the Year finalist, who is now considered a “lock” to leave the Cavaliers, per Stein.
Sixers restricted free agent Quentin Grimes is expected to land a starting salary of at least $16MM, Stein reports. Assuming he gets that offer from Philadelphia, it would be enough to outbid any rival suitors that might be willing to give him the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
The Clippers, who are in the market for a center to back up Ivica Zubac, are considered a team to watch for free agent big man Luke Kornet, writes Stein.
The Nuggets, who are eyeing potential assistant coaches for David Adelman‘s staff, have been granted permission to interview Mavericks assistant Jared Dudley and have also exhibited “strong” interest in former NBA guard J.J. Barea, per Stein (Twitter links). Barea had been coaching the Guaynabo Mets in his native Puerto Rico over the past couple years before being let go last month.

Fischer’s Latest: Yabusele, Kornet, Lopez, Hornets, Wolves, D. Robinson

June 28th, 2025 at 9:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Spurs weren’t successful in their attempt to trade for Kristaps Porzingis, who was ultimately sent from Boston to Atlanta, but they remain active in their pursuit of another big man, sources tell Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link).

Fischer echoes a recent report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype that San Antonio is eyeing Guerschon Yabusele. “Multiple well-placed observers” tell Fischer that the Spurs are viewed as the biggest threat to sign Yabusele, but he hears that the Sixers haven’t given up hopes of keeping him. Fischer notes that San Antonio has a powerful recruiting tool in Victor Wembanyama, Yabusele’s teammate on the French Olympic team. Fischer mentions the Bucks as another team that could make a play for Yabusele.

Yabusele outperformed his contract after returning to the NBA on a one-year, minimum-salary deal following last year’s Summer Games. He became a reliable front court anchor during an injury-plagued season for Philadelphia.

Celtics backup center Luke Kornet could be another Spurs target, Fischer adds.

Fischer shares more inside information from around the league:

The Bucks could be losing their starting center, as Brook Lopez returns to free agency after getting strong interest from San Antonio and Houston two years ago. Sources tell Fischer that the Lakers are expected to pursue Lopez to fill their vacancy in the middle, and he adds that even if L.A. winds up with another option such as Clint Capela, there’s a belief that Lopez plans to leave Milwaukee.
Point guards are likely to draw interest on the market beyond teams such as the Kings, Mavericks and Clippers that have obvious needs. Fischer hears that the Hornets are searching for a veteran to back up LaMelo Ball, who has been plagued by injury issues for most of his career and appeared in just 47 games this season. Fischer adds that the Timberwolves are expected to explore trade and free agency options to improve their backcourt, as it appears Nickeil Alexander-Walker is likely to leave in free agency.
The Heat are awaiting Duncan Robinson‘s decision on his early termination option, which is due by Sunday. Robinson is set to make $19.888MM next season, but only $9.9MM of that is guaranteed. If he opts in, Miami will have 48 hours to waive him after the moratorium ends on July 6 to avoid paying the full amount. Fischer points out that Robinson’s name has been mentioned in several trade rumors over the years, including the Heat’s recent pursuit of Kevin Durant.

Celtics Explore Flipping Anfernee Simons, Georges Niang

June 27th, 2025 at 7:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Neither Anfernee Simons nor Georges Niang is technically a member of the Celtics yet, as the deals sending them to Boston won’t become official until July. However, the Celtics have explored the idea of flipping Simons to a new team, according to Jay King of The Athletic, who reports that Niang is also a candidate to be moved before the 2025/26 season.

Brian Robb of MassLive.com has published a similar report, citing sources who say Boston is expected to remain active in the trade market and will explore its options with players like Simons and Niang.

As both King and Robb explain, a desire to retain free agent centers Al Horford and Luke Kornet is one reason why the Celtics are motivated to continue making moves to create more cap flexibility.

After agreeing to send out Jrue Holiday to Portland in a deal for Simons and Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta in a trade for Niang, Boston projects to operate a little below the second tax apron, but would almost certainly have to go back above that threshold in order to re-sign Horford and Kornet.

The Celtics also appear hopeful about the possibility of moving below the luxury tax line entirely, writes King, since that would be a first step toward taking the team out of repeater taxpayer territory for future seasons (two years out of the tax are required to reset the repeater clock).

Getting below the tax line would require shedding at least $15MM-ish in additional salary, and more than that in order to re-sign Horford and Kornet.

As King observes, it likely wouldn’t be difficult to move off Sam Hauser, whose $10MM salary for 2025/26 would neatly fit into a team’s non-taxpayer mid-level exception. However, the Celtics have been more focused on scenarios that would allow them to hang onto the sharpshooting wing.

A trade involving Jaylen Brown or Derrick White could provide an avenue to significant cap savings, but multiple reports have suggested the Celtics would need to be blown away to consider moving either player. VP of basketball operations Mike Zarren told reporters on Thursday “there hasn’t been anything close to serious about trading” Brown or White, adding that “those guys are key parts of our team, and we’re lucky to have them here.”

Celtics Notes: Stevens, Horford, Kornet, Mazzulla, Gonzalez, Tatum, Brown

June 26th, 2025 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens had a new first-round pick to discuss in Hugo Gonzalez, but there were more pressing issues to address as he met with the media following Wednesday’s draft, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. After agreeing to separate trades this week involving Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, Stevens talked about their contributions to the franchise and whether any more cost-cutting measures might be on the way.

“The biggest thing is there clearly is a need to prioritize regaining our flexibility,” Stevens said. “Maximizing from an assets standpoint what we can. As far as whatever moves those are a part of, those are all separate, hard, and things that you’re going to have to do your best to make sure you’re in the right position. We knew this was coming. We’ve got to prioritize flexibility.”

Parting with Holiday and Porzingis enabled the Celtics to move below the second apron, freeing them up to aggregate salaries in future trades, send out cash in deals and use trade exceptions. They’re projected to save nearly $200MM in luxury tax penalties, but Stevens emphasized that flexibility rather than frugality was the main motivation for trimming salary.

“Our owners are committed to spending,” Stevens said. “There’s a lot of things that go into these moves and a lot of things that are really important. The second apron basketball penalties are real and I’m not sure I understood how real until they were staring me in the face in the last month. I do think that can’t be overstated.”

There’s more from Boston:

Without a reliable center currently on the roster, Stevens said the team hopes to re-sign free agents Al Horford and Luke Kornet, per Brian Robb of MassLive. Horford made $9.5MM this season while Kornet played for the league minimum and has a chance to get a significant raise on the open market. “I think the biggest thing is, as you look at the rest of the team and what we’re trying to do, there is no question our priorities would be to bring Al and Luke back,” Stevens said. “Those guys are huge parts of this organization,” Stevens said. “They’re going to have, I’m sure, plenty of options all over the place, and that’s well-deserved, but I think that would be a priority. At the same time, I don’t want to put pressure on them. It’s their call ultimately. But, yeah, we would love to have those guys back.”
Stevens revealed that Joe Mazzulla received a contract extension at some point since he was promoted to head coach two years ago, Robb adds in a separate story. “I keep any of those discussions in house,” Stevens said. “But we’ve got Joe under contract for multiple years right now. So, we certainly want Joe to be around here for a long time.”
Regarding Gonzalez, Stevens confirmed the 19-year-old Real Madrid wing won’t be a draft-and-stash project, according to Souichi Terada of MassLive. “Just a big fan of how he plays,” Stevens said. “He’s tough, he’s hard playing, he cuts, he goes after the ball, he competes. He’s got all the intangibles of a winning basketball player. There’s things he can get better at just like everybody else at that age, but competitiveness is at a high level.”
Stevens also provided updates on injured stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, relays Kyle Hightower of The Associated Press. Stevens is pleased with Tatum’s progress since undergoing Achilles surgery and emphasized that the team won’t do anything to rush his rehabilitation process. “We won’t put a projected timeline on him for a long, long time,” Stevens said. “… It’s baby steps right now. He’s actually progressed great, but I don’t know what that means in regard to projected timelines. But that will be in consultation with him … and everybody else to make sure when he hits the court he is fully ready, and fully healthy. And that will be the priority.” Brown, who recently had a minimally invasive procedure on his right knee, has already returned to the Celtics’ facility to do some light ball-handling and work around the rim, Stevens adds.

Atlantic Notes: Sharpe, Knueppel, Horford, Kornet, Embiid

June 16th, 2025 at 10:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Day’Ron Sharpe is headed to free agency this summer. The Nets can make the backup big man a restricted free agent by extending him a $5.98MM qualifying offer. Sharpe told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype he’s looking forward to what the summer may bring for his career.

“I’m looking forward to the experience because I don’t know too much about free agency. This is my first year experiencing it. I’m looking forward to learning from it and how to move later on in my career,” he said.

Sharpe believes he can enhance any team’s second unit.

“I think I’m one of the best (backup bigs),” he said. “I’m a humble person, so I don’t like really talking or comparing myself to other people. But when it comes to backup bigs, I think I’m one of the best. I’m trying to continue to prove myself and work hard.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Should the Nets target Duke’s Kon Knueppel with their No. 8 overall pick? Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily.com believes Knueppel can make up for his limitations by his competitive nature as well as his shot-making and play-making abilities.
There’s a general sense that Al Horford will continue his long career next season but where he’ll wind up in free agency is another matter. High-level playoff contenders are monitoring Horford to see if he would consider leaving Boston, according to Scotto. Another Celtics big man and free agent, Luke Kornet, is expected to have a robust market this summer after his career year. Teams with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception available are expected to pursue him, says Scotto.
The Sixers moved up to the No. 3 spot in the draft lottery but their success next season will be predicated on how well Joel Embiid bounces back from his latest knee surgery, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer opines. The team has yet to offer an update on Embiid’s progress since he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on April 9.

Celtics Notes: Centers, Horford, Kornet, Tatum, Draft

June 14th, 2025 at 7:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics should be in the market for center help this summer, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. Kristaps Porzingis is a prime candidate to be traded because of his $30.7MM salary for next season, while Al Horford and Luke Kornet are both headed to free agency. There’s no guarantee that Horford, who turned 39 earlier this month, will continue playing as Boston may take a step back from title contention in the wake of Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles tear.

Robb notes that the Celtics will miss Tatum’s rebounding prowess next season, as none of the team’s current options in the middle are particularly strong on the boards. Tatum averaged 8.7 rebounds this year, and Boston was dominated off the glass without him in its Game 6 loss to New York.

Robb adds that the Celtics will have to take back some salary in the expected deals involving Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and possibly others, so that may be an avenue to find help in the middle. Boston would be limited to veteran’s minimum offers in free agency, and Robb suggests that would involve players in the class of Mason Plumlee, Jaxson Hayes or Paul Reed.

There’s more on the Celtics:

Steven Adams‘ new contract in Houston takes a prominent center off the free agent market and could increase the value of Horford and Kornet, Robb adds in a separate piece. Once the top names such as Myles Turner and Naz Reid are off the board, Robb suggests that Horford and Kornet could get offers at the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.7MM) or higher. The Celtics hold Bird rights on both players.
Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins could serve as an inspiration for Tatum as he works his way back from the Achilles injury, per Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Wilkins ruptured his Achilles in January of 1992 when it was considered a potential career-ending injury, but he was able to return for opening night of the 1992/93 season and averaged 29.9 PPG while finishing fifth in the MVP voting. “That injury is a serious injury,” Wilkins told Washburn. “And Jayson had the same type of injury I had, meaning he had a complete tear because there is no way you could walk off the floor. That’s a devastating injury, but the thing is the work he puts in is going to determine what he gets out of it. I worked twice a day every day for nine months and came back quicker than anybody. But it was my level of commitment and Jayson is a kid that loves the game and I have a lot of respect and am a fan of his. I have no doubt that he’s going to put in the work to get back to the same level he was.”
Justin Quinn of Celtics Wire takes a look at all the players the team has hosted for pre-draft workouts, including prominent names such as Cedric Coward and Drake Powell. Boston has the 28th and 32nd picks in this year’s draft.

Celtics Notes: Giannis, Tate, Prince, Holiday, Trade Market

May 31st, 2025 at 7:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics are expected to reduce salary and possibly move away from being title contenders next season in the wake of Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles tear, but ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggests a more aggressive strategy, relays Brian Robb of MassLive. In a Thursday morning appearance on Get Up, Windhorst stated that Boston could still be in a good position to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo if the Bucks star decides he wants to remain in the Eastern Conference.

“I think Boston was more interesting before the devastating Tatum injury because I don’t know what you can possibly get from Jayson Tatum next year,” Windhorst said. “Before that, I think that was a real conversation and maybe it still could be.”

Robb analyzes the possibility of an Antetokounmpo deal, noting that it wouldn’t be feasible unless the Celtics can cut roughly $20MM in salary and get below the second apron. That can happen either before a trade with Milwaukee or as part of the deal if Boston can find a third or fourth team willing to absorb unwanted contracts.

Once they’re free from the second apron restrictions, the Celtics can aggregate salaries, likely starting with Jaylen Brown‘s $53.1MM for next season, which nearly matches Antetokounmpo’s $54.1MM. From there, Robb states it would be a matter of determining which players the Bucks like enough to part with their perennial MVP candidate.

Robb doesn’t think Milwaukee would be interested in a reunion with Jrue Holiday or in taking on Kristaps Porzingis‘ expiring contract. He suggests Payton Pritchard‘s team-friendly deal might inspire the Bucks and wonders if the Celtics could be willing to part with Derrick White if they can take back a similar player from another team in the trade.

There’s more from Boston:

The trade market leaguewide and for the Celtics should heat up after the conclusion of the NBA Finals, Robb says in a mailbag column. He notes that draft assets will likely be part of any deals involving the league’s bigger names, so teams will want to get those trades finalized before the draft starts June 25. In the same piece, Robb states that if Boston is limited to veteran’s minimum contracts to fill out its roster, Jae’Sean Tate and Taurean Prince could be appealing additions.
With three years and $104.4MM left on his contract, Holiday is the most obvious player for the Celtics to move this summer, observes Danny Leroux of The Athletic. Leroux acknowledges a risk for any team thinking about taking on Holiday’s contract and states that he would be willing to include the No. 28 pick in the draft as a sweetener. Leroux’s recommendations for the Celtics include trading Holiday, re-signing veteran center Al Horford, along with Luke Kornet if possible, listening to trade offers for Brown and White, and seeing if they can work out an extension with Porzingis.
Once the major deals involving Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant are worked out, the remaining trade market could work to the Celtics’ advantage, per Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (subscription required).

Celtics Notes: Kornet, Holiday, Brown, White

May 18th, 2025 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

With the Celtics looking for ways to cut costs this offseason, it’s possible that re-signing Luke Kornet will be a luxury they can’t afford. The 29-year-old backup center wasn’t ready to address his future at Saturday’s exit interviews, according to Souichi Terada of MassLive.

“Regarding going forward it’s like, I’ll figure out stuff when it kind of comes to it,” Kornet said. “At this point, you’re just kind of trying to unwind and spend some time with family and you don’t even know what everything is gonna look like because you just got done playing. That’s kind of what it is for now.”

Kornet, who has been with the team since being acquired at the 2022 trade deadline, turned out to be a bargain on the one-year, minimum-salary contract he signed last summer. He brought stability to Boston’s frontline, appearing in 73 games and averaging 6.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in 18.6 minutes per night. He helped the Celtics extend their second-round series with a near triple-double in Game 5 and was in the starting lineup for Game 6.

Keeping Kornet could become more important than ever with Al Horford uncertain about returning for another season. Boston owns Kornet’s Bird rights, but second apron restrictions and a huge projected tax bill will likely limit what the team is willing to offer.

“The year, obviously it didn’t ultimately end in what we wanted to do and accomplish,” Kornet added. “It’s like a good deal to look back on well. I mean obviously the day after, that’s a little tough. But I think that it was a little more time to be able to kind of appreciate things for what they were. Obviously we had some good stretches and we ultimately came short, so it’s just kind of the taste in the mouth for the time being.”

There’s more from Boston:

Jrue Holiday has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate because of his hefty salary, but he believes the Celtics can remain title contenders if the core of the team stays together, Terada states in a separate story. Holiday has three seasons left on his four-year, $134.4MM extension, including a $37.2MM player option in 2027/28. “We still have a really, really great opportunity and a great window to be successful and win a championship again,” he said. “I think the talent that we have on this team, not only on the court, but the coaching staff all the way up to (president of basketball operations Brad Stevens) has been amazing. So, the opportunity to win is now, and I still want to be a part of that.”
Jaylen Brown, who has been diagnosed with a partially torn meniscus, offered a message of hope to Celtics fans after being eliminated, Terada adds in another piece. Brown expects the team to bounce back quickly, even though Jayson Tatum is sidelined indefinitely after having surgery to repair a torn Achilles. “This journey is not the end; it’s not the end for me,” Brown said. “I’m looking forward to coming back stronger, so you just take this with your chin up. I know Boston, it looks gloomy right now, obviously with JT being out and us kind of ending the year. But it’s a lot to look forward to. I want the city to feel excited about that. This is not the end, so I’m looking forward to what’s next.”
Derrick White appears likely to stay in Boston because he’s delivering good value on his contract, observes Brian Robb of MassLive. White acknowledged that changes are likely coming to the team, adding that his priority will be improving during the summer. “I just gotta focus on what I need to focus on, which is obviously I have a lot of room for improvement,” White said. “So I gotta get better. People are going to do their jobs and my job right now is to get better.”