{"id":148154,"date":"2025-06-30T20:33:03","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T00:33:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=148154"},"modified":"2025-06-30T20:33:03","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T00:33:03","slug":"spurs-sign-celtics-fan-favorite-to-41-million-deal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/06\/30\/spurs-sign-celtics-fan-favorite-to-41-million-deal\/","title":{"rendered":"Spurs Sign Celtics Fan Favorite To $41 Million Deal"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN ANTONIO<\/strong> \u2013San Antonio Spurs<\/a> have signed<\/a> free agent center Luke Kornet<\/a> to a four-year, $41 million contract. ESPN reports that agent Max Wiepking of Gersh Sports finalized the terms. Luke Kornet’s deal strengthens the Spurs’ frontcourt depth as the team eyes a return to playoff relevance. Kornet, 30, emerged as a surprising force for the Boston Celtics<\/a> last season. He averaged six points, 5.3 rebounds, and one block in just under 19 minutes per game. Though his numbers seem modest, Kornet\u2019s impact showed up in advanced metrics.<\/p>\n

Spurs Sign Celtics Fan Favorite, Luke Kornet To $41 Million Deal<\/h2>\n

The Kornet Impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"Spurs
Mar 29, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (0) shoots against Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet (40) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Boston outscored opponents by 14.9 points per 100 possessions with Kornet on the floor. His signature \u201cKornet Kontest,\u201d kept shooters uneasy. His defensive timing and rim protection brought real value.<\/p>\n

During his last two seasons, Kornet shifted fully into a rim-running role. He shot 68.1% from the field in that stretch. While he once experimented with three-pointers, Kornet found his niche inside.<\/p>\n

Kornet arrives as San Antonio seeks to plug a clear roster gap. With last season\u2019s backup big men, Charles Bassey<\/a> and Bismack Biyombo<\/a>, hitting free agency, Kornet\u2019s arrival gives coach Mitch Johnson a reliable option behind Victor Wembanyama<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Postseason Moments Highlight Kornet\u2019s Value<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Kornet delivered some of his best basketball when it mattered most. In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks,<\/a> Kornet posted 10 points, nine rebounds, and seven blocks. Boston\u2019s 127-102 win pushed the series to a sixth game.<\/p>\n

Though Kornet does not profile as a full-time starter, his defensive presence off the bench made him a hidden gem for the Celtics. The Spurs are betting that Luke Kornet’s deal will allow him to replicate that role in San Antonio.<\/p>\n

A Smart Fit For San Antonio\u2019s Future<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Kornet\u2019s move marks another piece in the Spurs\u2019 careful rebuild. He brings veteran experience to a young roster that features rising star Wembanyama. Luke Kornet’s deal should give Johnson more flexibility managing minutes for Wembanyama.<\/p>\n

The 7-foot-2 center has found consistency after bouncing around the league early in his career. In Boston, Kornet carved out a defined backup role that highlighted his defensive instincts and smart positioning.<\/p>\n

San Antonio has made it clear it wants to build smartly around Wembanyama\u2019s generational talent. Adding Kornet on a moderate deal shows the front office\u2019s strategy of shoring up weaknesses without overspending.<\/p>\n

While Kornet\u2019s offensive output won\u2019t lead highlight reels, his ability to protect the paint, set hard screens, and finish easy looks makes him valuable. The Spurs are hopeful he repeats the same reliable contributions in Texas.<\/p>\n

Quiet But Effective<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Kornet won\u2019t carry an offense. But he doesn\u2019t need to. His rim protection and energy fill a need for San Antonio. Luke Kornet’s deal might not make headlines like a superstar signing, but it reflects a Spurs team determined to add depth, defense, and consistency as they climb back toward the postseason.<\/p>\n

With Kornet\u2019s shot-blocking and Wembanyama\u2019s versatile skill set, San Antonio\u2019s frontcourt now looks imposing. Spurs fans should expect Kornet to bring the same hustle and quiet confidence that made him a Boston fan favorite.<\/p>\n

SAN ANTONIO \u2013San Antonio Spurs have signed free agent center Luke Kornet to a four-year, $41 million contract. ESPN reports that agent Max Wiepking of Gersh Sports finalized the terms. Luke Kornet’s deal strengthens the Spurs’ frontcourt depth as the team eyes a return to playoff relevance. Kornet, 30, emerged as a surprising force for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":148160,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,5,3,34],"tags":[50219,1776,4975,4557],"class_list":["post-148154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-celtics","category-news","category-spurs","tag-2025-nba-free-agents","tag-luke-kornet","tag-nba-contracts","tag-nba-offseason"],"modified_by":"Frederick Okocha","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=148154"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148154\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":148161,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148154\/revisions\/148161"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/148160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=148154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=148154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=148154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}