Luke Kornet was briefly with the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2021-22 NBA season. If that is a fact that is lost to anyone reading this, no one could blame you.
Kornet only appeared in two games for the Cavaliers during that campaign. The former undrafted center averaged 2.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 0.5 blocks in his 7.5 minutes per game.
2021-22 featured Kornet making an NBA appearance for three different teams. Apart from the aforementioned Cavs, the well-travelled pro played for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics that season. Kornet would manage to stick around with the latter through the end of 2024-25.
In the 2025 offseason, the free agent center signed a four-year, $40.7 million deal to join the San Antonio Spurs. Kornet has been asked to step up in the absence of an injured Victor Wembanyama. The 30-year-old has given the Spurs their money's worth in the process.
Luke Kornet is filling large shoes admirably in San Antonio
Kornet is not the type of player whose counting stats truly jump off the page for anyone. In 2025-26, the Spurs center is averaging 7.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game.
Wembanyama has been absent in Spurs games since the Nov. 16 matchup against the Sacramento Kings. That was Kornet's first start of the season.
Despite being down their generational superstar, the Spurs have not missed a beat in his time away from the court. San Antonio is 7-2 over that stretch with Kornet holding down the fort at center.
The counting stats? Kornet has averaged 6.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.1 blocks in 26.7 minutes per game as a starter, shooting 58.3 percent from the field.
Those will continue to look unimpressive to some, but his role as a shot-blocker and connective passer on offense gives the Spurs a lot of value from that center spot. San Antonio has been a +40 with Kornet on the court over that stretch as a result.
The Spurs have managed to maintain a top-10 offense over that span. When Kornet is playing, the veteran center is carrying an offensive rating of 118.4 and a defensive rating of 112.4 during his last nine games. Those are both respectable marks, helping him accumulate the third highest net rating among Spurs players averaging at least 10-plus minutes per game over that stretch
A Cavaliers team starving for frontcourt depth, and being forced to mostly rely on Nae'Qwan Tomlin, would love have an impactful player like Kornet waiting to step up when injuries strike. Unfortunately for them, his impression on Cleveland did not earn him an extended stay back in the day.