The Boston Celtics came about as close as they could to cleaning house during the 2025 NBA offseason. Boston traded Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to shed salary, allowed Al Horford to walk in free agency for the same reason, and made minimal attempts to adapt to the possibility that Jayson Tatum could miss the entire 2025-26 season.
Despite the drastic losses, most understood the Celtics' overarching strategy. The one decision that continues to haunt them, however, is not re-signing Luke Kornet.
Kornet entered unrestricted free agency after spending the past four seasons with the Celtics. During that time, he became a fan favorite whose effort and consistency made him a high-value reserve despite playing no more than 18.6 minutes per game.
Unfortunately, Boston let him walk as Kornet signed a four-year, $40.7 million contract with the San Antonio Spurs.
On one hand, the Spurs were taking something of a risk on Kornet being able to play a more demanding role than he'd previously taken on. On the other, the Celtics could've come up with an offer in that range if they were willing to prioritize Kornet's value to team success.
Instead, Kornet is thriving in San Antonio and Boston is preparing to potentially lose long-term assets in its pursuit of a player who can do what he could've done for them.
Luke Kornet is giving the Spurs exactly what the Celtics need at center
Kornet has started 22 of his 31 games played during his first season with the Spurs. That's a rather dramatic feat considering he started just 25 of his 235 appearances with the Celtics. During that time, he's been far more than just a Victor Wembanyama complement.
San Antonio has gone 10-3 during games that Wembanyama has been sidelined but Kornet has appeared, and the Boston fan favorite has played a direct role in that success.
Kornet is making a strong case for All-Defense honors early in 2025-26. According to Basketball Index, he ranks in the 99th percentile in rim disruption, the 98th percentile in screener mobile defense, the 97th percentile in rim deterrence, and the 91st percentile in post defense.
Kornet also ranks in the 91st percentile in offensive rebounds per 75 possessions, the 70th percentile in defensive rebounds per 75 possessions, and the 94th percentile in eFG%.
In terms of his individual production, Kornet is averaging 8.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.1 offensive boards, 2.0 assists, and 1.3 blocks in 24.6 minutes per game. He's thriving on the offensive glass, creating for his teammates, and protecting the paint with tremendous consistency.
Neemias Queta and Luka Garza have done an admirable job at the center position for the Celtics, but the desire for a trade remains—and a player with Kornet's skill set is high on the agenda.
There were apron implications to any move Boston could've made this past summer, of course, which plays a factor in this discussion. Kornet offered familiarity and a clear measure of untapped potential, however, that would've made his team-friendly salary even more palatable.
Unfortunately, the Celtics are instead left to hoping they can acquire a meaningful talent at center without giving up draft capital and quality talent in addition to matching salary.