In a locker room full of veteran centers, Luke Kornet became the primary backup for Victor Wembanyama. Will he be able to keep this role next season?
The Spurs season in review rolls along, with the latest player grade focused on a depth piece that had a hefty role to fill this past year.
In a roster full of veteran frontcourt presences for San Antonio, Luke Kornet was able to stand above the rest to rise as the primary reliever when superstar Victor Wembanyama hit the bench for the Spurs.
Obviously, Kornet was not expected to be the generational game-changer up and down the court like Wemby is, but the Spurs still relied heavily on the big man to control the pace of games and keep the team steady when its centerpiece needed to rest up.
For the most part, he was able to accomplish these expectations averaging 21 minutes of action in 68 regular season games, which saw Kornet get the starting nod in 25 of them. His scoring numbers left some to be desired, at 6.5 per game, but his presence at the glass helped make up for it, with a nearly equal average of six boards an outing.
This dependability lasted into the Spurs deep run in the postseason, which saw Kornet hit the court in every one of San Antonio's matchup, including a start in the first-round series against Portland following a concussion suffered by Wembanyama.
Kornet was also responsible for one of, if not arguably, the most iconic moments of San Antonio's run toward their seventh NBA Finals.
During Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Kornet chased down Isaiah Hartenstein and made a potentially game-saving block with the Spurs only in front by six with around six minutes to play.
The movie-like sequence helped reignite the Spurs and vaulted them toward an eventual 111-103 victory over the Thunder in the game and the series.
Despite the legendary move that will be remembered for years in San Antonio, the Spurs still struggled to consistently maintain the same tenacity with Wembanyama off the court, especially deep in the postseason.
Granted, much of the post presence was suddenly thrust on whichever bench reliever subbed in for him, usually being Kornet. This allowed opposing teams to easily exploit other areas of the Spurs and made them more predictable than with their leader.
While Kornet on the floor usually meant a regression for the Spurs, he did prove to be the most viable of the plethora of potential Wemby backups that scattered throughout San Antonio's lineup.
With the additions of rookies Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr. through the draft and big-time free agent signing of Tobias Harris, the Spurs significantly sized up and look to offer more depth than just Wembanyama and his numerous center counterparts.
Keeping this in mind, Kornet could continue to be the best option when Wembanyama is off the court next season and have some of the pressure of being the lone frontcourt option taken off his shoulders.
FINAL GRADE: B-, 2026 OUTLOOK: Backup Center #1, Non-Scoring Big Man
