NBA Notebook: Luke Kornet and the value of a backup big

Luke Kornet signed with the Maine Celtics before making his 2021-22 NBA debut against the Boston Celtics with the Cavaliers on an emergency contract. He battled Brooklyn, filling in for the Milwaukee Bucks in January while Boston underwent its infamous meltdown nearby at Madison Square Garden the day before. Through it all, he never felt disconnected from the Celtics despite never officially re-signing with them until February. The journey from hopping in a rental car to meet the team after they acquired him in 2021 through next winter felt like one long season.

Kornet rejoined Maine in January for a seven-game stint before the trade deadline opened multiple roster spots and landed him back on the pro Celtics for the rest of the season. Two-way forwards Brodric Thomas, Matt Ryan and Sam Hauser; Aaron Nesmith, Juwan Morgan, Malik Fitts, Nik Stauskas and Kornet all became familiar with each other through a long, winding journey to the NBA Finals as bench players for the Celtics. They'd scrimmage on the opposite side of the court to begin and end practices, playing more involved roles during the postseason with the doors closed to spectators and share the bench off to the side while more established stars got interviewed. 

"Every two weeks, we've been switching out the players that we get to be," Kornet told Boston Sports Journal at the Finals. "It's been pretty fun, honestly. Each kind of series is different guys time to shine for a little bit. Like when we were Brooklyn, I was Nic Claxton/Andre Drummond, and (Thomas) and (Fitts) got to be Kyrie (Irving) and (Kevin Durant) and just have the ball in their hands a ton. I got to be Giannis Antetokounmpo, which was a great time. I got the ball every single possession, I got to do whatever I wanted, so it was a lot of fun. That was kind of the fun part of it, you get these opportunities to play a different role than you're used to as opposed to helping other guys on the court. (Now), you're the guy who's kind of initiating everything." 

Only Hauser and Kornet remain from that group on the active roster, both players earning multi-year deals to return to the Celtics based on their growth through the G-League last season. While Danilo Gallinari's ACL tear increased the need for Hauser to emerge as a bench shooter, Brad Stevens already had high hopes for Kornet becoming Robert Williams III and Al Horford's main backup at the five after Boston traded Daniel Theis. Stevens even recently liked a tweet, his only documented 'like' ever, showing Kornet crossing up a defender in a pick-up game and throwing down a reverse dunk. 

Kornet played in a high-paced Maine offense that shot a ton of threes and relied on him as a high post passer, averaging 14.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 4.5 assists per game. He's shown pick-and-pop prowess and at 7-2 can fill the lane defending pick-and-rolls. Kornet is also emblematic of how the value of the depth center position has changed. The Celtics have only committed a two-year, $2.3 million deal on Kornet that guarantees him $300,000 through opening night and a two-way contract for Mfiondu Kabengele at the position. 

"We’re really high on Luke, we’ve been really high on Luke,” Stevens said in response to a question from BSJ in July. “We thought he had a terrific G-League season and think that he can step right in and be a passer and a ball-handler and a mover and a screener and a roller when need be … we’re really believing in Luke not only as depth to fill out the roster, but also be ready to help us win. I think he’s at that stage where he can do that." 

The Celtics don't have a significant sample size of success from Kornet's NBA career other than a solid 32.4% mark from three for his position on 444 tries. He blocked 1.4 shots per game down the stretch of the 2021 schedule after Boston acquired him at the deadline, coincidentally sending out Theis. Stevens said after the trade he had long coveted Kornet, who only sparingly played under Ime Udoka in 2022. A similar front-court dynamic exists now with Horford and Williams III set to stagger minutes as each other's backups, while Grant Williams can defend some opposing fives like Bam Adebayo. Kornet is the next name on the depth chart since Gallinari, a four who projected to play next to Williams and even in some small ball five, is injured. 

The team doesn't expect to replace Gallinari yet, so they'll inevitably need to move Grant back to some interior minutes that he played as a rookie, or try some Kornet and Kabengele rotations. Other teams, like the massive Cavaliers who got just a little smaller with the Donovan Mitchell trade, will do the same with Robin Lopez only occasionally appearing behind Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. The Suns let Javale McGee go and will fill bench minutes behind Deandre Ayton with 6-10 Dario Saric returning from his ACL tear and Bismack Biyombo, who was available for most of last season. Minnesota will start Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert, both backed up by Naz Reid. 

Dwight Howard, Hassan Whiteside, Demarcus Cousins, Tristan Thompson and Cody Zeller remain on the free agent market less than two weeks from training camp, all potential options for a Boston team holding three roster spots. The Celtics have passed in an NBA increasingly focused on versatility for starters, youth and affordability for backup centers. Boston started last year signing veteran free agent Enes Freedom for a depth role (35 games, 11.7 min.) on a minimum deal, pivoting mid-season toward an expensive replacement in Theis (21 games, 18.7 min.), who was owed $35.6 million over four seasons and became a starter when Williams III got hurt.

The Pacers took on Theis' contract in the Malcolm Brogdon trade with a first-round pick and now feature one of the more expensive backup centers across any NBA roster. Dwight Powell ($11.1M), Mo Bamba ($10.3M), James Wiseman ($9.6M), Nerlens Noel ($9.2M), Kevon Looney ($8M), Isaiah Hartenstein ($7.8M) and Jaxson Hayes ($6.8M) are exceptions in a league that largely addresses depth center play, aside from staggered double-big starting lineups, with minimum or mid-level money. The small ball pioneer Warriors are spending some of the most money in the league on depth bigs alongside the Mavericks, who have versatility with shooters Maxi Kleber and Christian Wood. 

The Celtics will likely see Horford's $26.5-million salary expire next summer and transition into a smaller figure more in line with depth centers, though Grant's second contract could rise up the leaderboards if he continues to shoot over 40% from three and successfully defend stars like Giannis and Durant. Extension talks between Williams and the Celtics haven't led to a deal as camp looms, but Jake Fischer reported Williams could request close to the $20 million Keldon Johnson earned annually in his new deal with the Spurs. 

Williams, who played far more on the wing last season (94% PF), told BSJ in August that he's ready for whatever position Udoka asks of him as he's shifted across positions early in his career. While NBA contracts have generally ballooned since the 2016 cap spike, a depth center like Biyombo earned $18 million annually with the Magic in 2016, Al Jefferson signed for $30 million with the Pacers over three season and little money was spent on depth center this summer aside from Jalen Smith (3yr, $15.1M), Marvin Bagley III (3yr, $37.5M), Bamba and Hartenstein. The Heat loved Dewayne Dedmon, who they retained for $4.7 million. McGee joined Dallas for $5.7 million across three years. The Bulls got Drummond for $3.2 million and JaMychal Green became available to Golden State after his Thunder buyout for $2.6 million. 

The Celtics enter relatively low on depth spending with most of their salary cap tied up to a pair of starting bigs, wings and a deep back court. A team like Orlando, that spent heavy on centers, have guards and wings on rookie deals. The same goes for the Spurs, who invested $7 million annually to try to rejuvenate Zach Collins after a string of early-career injuries and the Pistons, built entirely around rookie deals. The Warriors spend unprecedented money at every position, as do the Nets, who will start both Ben Simmons and Nic Claxton for however long that works. Dallas spends little at the wing compared to a team like Boston, as do the Knicks until R.J. Barrett's new deal kicks in. 

Most teams want to get by at the position, with Philadelphia's late signing of Montrezl Harrell another example of how there's great supply and little demand for those players. As Wyc Grousbeck mentioned in his Boston Globe interview this week, the Celtics can make a move if needed to go further into the tax should a need arise, which could be the case if an injury strikes the front court. Their first instinct was to forgo utilizing three significant trade exceptions on front court help, trusting Kornet to do the little things and play a supporting role. 

"We've talked about adding another big with nights where Al might take a rest night or Rob, having another possible starter. We got Luke Kornet, who's grown throughout the season," Udoka said at Summer League. "As well as some of the other young guys you see out here." 

Hauser and the depth wing position is another conversation, and Udoka may need to adjust the defense toward more of a drop scheme to get the best out of Hauser and Kornet considering their defensive limitations. The team believes in both players, and will test the abilities of its developmental system before exploring bench alternatives, which a relatively healthy team last season didn't need to worry about. The only concern, if they prove limited and force Udoka back toward a tight rotation, is keeping the starters who logged big minutes last spring healthy.

Teams not named the Warriors aren't well accounted for at every position and investing smaller salaries on depth center falls in line with where the league is at. The Celtics have unique circumstances though, between Gallinari's injury, Horford's age and expected load management program and Williams III's injury history. For a team going all-in, Boston should be fully confident Kornet can play backup rather than trying to cut a corner. 

"We're still looking," Stevens said in July. "At whatever we call the five position nowadays." 

Here's what else happened in the NBA this week... 

Atlanta: Signed former No. 6 overall pick (2019) Jarrett Culver to a two-way deal after unsuccessful stops in Minnesota and Memphis. He'll be 23 this season and barely qualified for the two-way contract into his fourth season, averaging 6.6 PPG, 2.7 RPG and 1.2 APG in his career so far on 40.1% shooting (28.3% 3PT).

Boston: Rounded out their training camp roster by signing Jake Layman, as first reported by CLNS Media, along with Celtics Summer League forward Justin Jackson and G-League guard Denzel Valentine. Layman, of Wrentham, played his first six seasons with the Trail Blazers and Timberwolves, struggling to shoot from deep and make the most of his 6-8 size. He's averaged 4.8 PPG and 1.7 RPG on 46% shooting (30% 3PT) and will have a chance to make the roster. MassLive reported that the 20th and final offseason spot will likely be Brodric Thomas, joining already-signed Bruno Caboclo and Noah Vonleh in competition for three roster spots. 

Wyc Grousbeck, in an interview with the Globe, said he's considering his team overrated as title favorites after their Finals loss. He said the Celtics aren't clear favorites, and simply in the mix after beating three east competitors by small margins. 

"I wouldn’t pick anybody ahead of us," he said. "But I don’t think we’ve got any smooth sailing ahead. We were a good team last year that won some key close games and were in the mix. But I don’t have us as the favorites."

Brooklyn: Joe Harris is 100% entering training camp after a pair of surgeries on his left ankle derailed his 2021-22 season, appearing in only 14 games after a sensational shooting 2021. He was arguably the best shooter in the league playing off Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving two seasons ago, finishing with 14.1 PPG on 47.5% three-point shooting, and has averaged 45% from deep over the past five seasons with the team. His $18.6-million salary could be the team's most powerful tool to make mid-season adjustments, but for now he'll likely start for a team that needs shooting and size on the perimeter next to its three stars. 

Charlotte: Free agent forward Miles Bridges had his preliminary hearing set for Sept. 29 regarding three domestic violence charges against him in Los Angeles. The legal process is only set to begin after training camp gets underway around the NBA later this month, and while the Hornets continue to maintain his restricted free agent rights, it's hard to imagine Bridges playing anytime soon, if at all this season. Bridges is accused of assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children. Bridges was arrested on June 29, released on $130,000 bond and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Cleveland: Introduced Donovan Mitchell in what GM Koby Altman referred to as a difficult trade, giving up three great players, but one of the most monumental additions in franchise history. Mitchell acknowledged the writing was on the wall when the Jazz sent Rudy Gobert to Minnesota, and that a great run ended in Utah. He expected to be sent to the Knicks, finding out upon landing in Cleveland that most of the team's core remained intact. He rejoiced with Darius Garland and Caris LeVert, and acknowledged a need to improve defensively. The Cavaliers are trying to make their first postseason appearance without LeBron James since 1998. 

“I was running around crazy, mainly when I figured out who we kept in the deal because I didn't know who was in the trade. I just knew I was traded, and when I found out we kept DG and JA (Jarrett Allen) and Evan (Mobley) and Caris, and all these guys and I was like, ‘Wow.’ We’ve got a talented group that was third in the East and then obviously injuries came about, and that's before I got here,” Mitchell said.

Dallas: Luka Doncic's EuroBasket run ended with him fouling out in the fourth quarter of a 90-87 loss to Poland in the tournament's quarterfinals. With Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo's early losses in the knockout stage, the path seemed clear for Doncic and Slovenia to claim a second title after winning in 2017. Instead, Doncic shot 5-for-15 through back pain and turned the ball over six times, Slovenia needing to overcome a 19-point deficit with a 24-6 third quarter, but was only able to pull within one possession.

“I received an injection in the third quarter,” Doncic said. “I’ve been dealing with a lot this EuroBasket, but that’s not the reason (Slovenia lost) ... today I played terrible. I let my team down, I let the whole country who was supporting us down, and that’s on me. I’ve got to look back on this game and be better.”

Denver: Nikola Jokic's Serbian national team fell to Italy, 94-86, in the first round of the EuroBasket knockout stage, a surprising exit for the heavy favorites in the tournament. Jokic scored 32 points with 11 rebounds, shooting 8-for-14 with on-off splits reminiscent of his MVP season with the Nuggets in 2022. Serbia outscored Italy by 11 points with Jokic on the floor and lost by 19 when he sat, playing for 29 out of 40 minutes. 

Golden State: Steph Curry spoke to Rolling Stone about the Kevin Durant trade saga and confirmed that he and teammates would've welcomed a return to Golden State. Curry called Durant misunderstood, and said he still loves his former teammate who would've undoubtedly make the Warriors as staggering of a favorite as they were from 2016-2019. The cost, as was the case for most teams, prevented the hypothetical from becoming a real possibility. It's unclear if Durant was truly attainable, but big decisions loom on Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole's futures loom next summer anyway. GM Bob Myers spoke carefully around the extension subject this week.

“And if you said, ‘Oh, KD’s coming back, and we’re gonna play with him,’ I had so much fun playing with him those three years," Curry said. "I’d be like, ‘Hell, yeah!’ Then you have to think: What does that actually mean? What does it look like? You tell me I’m playing with [current Warriors teammates Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, and Draymond Green], I’m like, ‘Hell, yeah!’ There’s all types of emotion and things that happen to the league. And if anybody’s saying that you wouldn’t entertain that conversation — no disrespect to anybody on our team — you don’t know how things work. But you also understand, like, if we run this thing back, I’ve got complete confidence in my team that we can win it again, as constructed.”

Clippers: Perhaps the largest question after Kawhi Leonard and Paul George's health facing the Clippers this season is how Ty Lue will manage minutes for a large number of established role players on the roster. Robert Covington, who the team acquired last season with Norman Powell from Portland, is one of the key swing players in that dynamic on the wing who may not always find significant minutes. 

"I know what they brought me here for," Covington told the LA Times after re-signing with LA in May. "They brought me here to knock down shots, defend, make the game easy, disrupt as much as I can, that's why they brought me back. That's it, that's my role. I don't step outside of that. Now, if I get asked to do more than that's what I get asked to do but everybody knows what I'm here for. Everyone pretty much knows their role but it's like, how are we going to fit once we start having pieces together and actually start having everyone there together, that's when everything else will start unfolding." 

Lakers: Signed Dennis Schröder to a one-year, $2.6 million contract after his German national team lost to Spain in the EuroBasket semifinals. Schröder averaged 21.6 PPG and 7.3 APG on 43.1% shooting in the tournament after a solid 2022 stint with the Rockets, but it still marks a startling reunion between Schröder and the Lakers, who he played for during the 2020-21 season. Between a reportedly declined $84-million extension, a poor first-round performance in the team's loss to the Suns, a strange German interview where Schröder seemingly exposed LeBron James' vaccination status and LA already featuring Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley in the back court, it doesn't seem like a great fit. 

That's if Westbrook is expected to be part of the team going forward, and The Athletic reporting in the aftermath of the Schröder signing that the team is strongly considering bringing Westbrook off the bench. Maybe that's a case of Darvin Ham courting the best combinations, but in a summer where Westbrook and his longtime agent parted ways over their views of his role in LA, it casts some uncertainty over his Lakers future. The team intends to start the season with Westbrook, already beginning preseason workouts in El Segundo, though if similar issues to last season emerge Schröder could be part of the team's plan to pivot away from the star. 

Memphis: I'm already excited for the renewal of the Grizzlies-Warriors rivalry, which could soon be the best in the league. In a recent Pivot Podcast appearance, Ja Morant addressed how his injury impacted their second-round series and the controversial defensive play by Jordan Poole that seemingly aggravated Morant's knee in Game 3. Klay Thompson later called Jaren Jackson Jr. a bum after winning the championship, Andre Iguodala already drew disdain from Memphis fans for sitting out after he was traded to the Grizzlies in 2019 and Dillon Brooks' flagrant foul on Gary Payton II earlier in the series knocked the Warriors guard out until Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

Milwaukee: Giannis Antetokounmpo got ejected for an unsportsmanlike foul as Germany defeated Greece, 107-96, in the quarterfinals of EuroBasket. Antetokounmpo's play, averaging 29.3 PPG, 8.8 RPG and 4.7 APG on 56.6% shooting in the tournament, but fell short of delivering a major tournament win with his national team, one of the few achievements he's yet to accomplish in his young NBA career. He's still the No. 1 player in the NBA entering the 2022-23 season from a statistical, two-way impact and accomplishment standpoint. 

Minnesota: Anthony Edwards apologized and the Timberwolves released a statement expressing disappointment in Edwards for using homophobic language mocking a group of men on social media. The incident follows past incidents in the league including stars spreading homophobia online and during games, including Kevin Durant last season in a Twitter DM and Rajon Rondo and Kobe Bryant in the past toward referees. All those incidents resulted in fines from the league, but it's fair to question if more impactful solutions can be found.

New York: Donovan Mitchell alluded to believing he'd land with the Knicks in his introductory Cavaliers press conference, and later in a one-on-one with Brian Windhorst said he knew information that led him to think a deal was imminent with New York. NYDN reporter Stefan Bondy noted that the Knicks and Jazz were on the two-yard line haggling over picks and protections, before Utah pivoted as Cleveland GM Koby Altman described. Michael Scotto added that the Knicks didn't want to trade Quentin Grimes, and while failing to add star power in Mitchell may immediately be disappointing for New York, there's a chance to shift focus toward a slower build. Is Knicks patience possible? We'll see. 

Orlando: Franz Wagner and Germany fell to Spain in the EuroBasket semifinals, but the second-year forward made a major statement on his standing as arguably the most underrated player in the league coming into next season. As he prepares to play with No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero and a cast of intriguing young players including fellow 2021 first-round pick Jalen Suggs, Wagner averaged 16.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 1.4 APG while hitting 57.7% of his twos, 46.2% of his threes and 93.8% of his free throws for Germany. 

Philadelphia: Findings in the NBA's investigation into the P.J. Tucker signing for possible tampering, as well as the Knicks regarding Jalen Brunson, are expected in the coming weeks with second-round pick forfeitures the method of punishment in recent examples including the Bulls' Lonzo Ball and Heat's Kyle Lowry additions last summer. It's a strange crackdown considering the evident extent of tampering around the league resulting in speedy signings to start free agency periods following the moratorium. A second-rounder isn't a strong deterrent. 

Phoenix: The NBA suspended Suns owner Robert Sarver after a year-long investigation into accusations made against him in a 2021 investigative piece by ESPN's Baxter Holmes. The investigation confirmed Sarver used racist, misogynistic, sexual and demeaning language in what clearly depicted a toxic workplace, but Adam Silver defended falling short of his lifetime ban of former Clippers owner Donald Sterling by describing additional unknown context he knows and the difference in there being a voice recording of Sterling's racist language. Silver said he punished Sterling severely, with a one-year suspension and $10-million fine, but Sarver will return to the room numerous current and former employees spoke out to him as part of the investigation. 

LeBron James and Suns guard Chris Paul spoke out against what they viewed as a lenient punishment, while corporate sponsor PayPal announced it won't return as Phoenix' uniform sponsor if Sarver remains as owner. Fellow Suns partner Jahm Najafi called for Sarver to step down, as Silver avoided a difficult process that would've forced 75% of the league's team governors to vote Sarver out, which would've inevitably been met with legal action. The aforementioned Sterling saga ended with Sterling being ruled mentally incapacitated, allowing Shelly Sterling to take control of the Clippers and sell them to Steve Ballmer for a record $2 billion in 2014, with Shelly retaining benefits.

Portland: Gary Payton II underwent core surgery in July, the Trail Blazers announced, and is expected to miss training camp and the preseason in hopes of returning for the regular season next month. The surgery compared to the one that ended Damian Lillard's season in January, casting some concern over the guard's status as he begins a three-year, $26.1 million contract with the Blazers. Portland wing Nassir Little also underwent abdominal surgery in May, telling Sean Highkin, that he, Lillard and Payton II visited the same doctor letting the news on the latter slip earlier this summer.

Utah: The Jazz and Lakers have had discussions about a Bojan Bogdanovic trade in the aftermath of the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell deals, according to The Athletic, which later reported that Jordan Clarkson and Malik Beasley are also LA targets. Utah needs to trim its full-time roster from 17 before the regular season, and Bogdanovic is seen as the most likely to go following the star departures. Danny Ainge and GM Justin Zanik addressed the team's shift toward selling this week. 

“I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got here,” Ainge said. “But what I saw was a team that didn’t believe in each other. Maybe I thought they were just waiting for the playoffs. So I gave them the benefit of the doubt. But, by the end of the season, it was unanimous that this was the direction we needed to go.”

Washington: Wizards and fashion star Kyle Kuzma talked clothing, shoes and previewed next season from New York Fashion Week with Complex. Kristaps Porzingis, Bradley Beal and Kuzma actually give Washington an underrated shot in the play-in tournament if the team maintains full health, which hasn't been the case in recent seasons between Russell Westbrook, Beal and now the injury-prone Porzingis. 

"It’s all about getting to the playoffs," Kuzma said. "That’s my mindset. The NBA’s always better when you can win. We probably had one of the more talented teams that Wizard fans and the DMV’s seen in recent years and we have to figure it out, take that leap, and start playing winning basketball. That’s the most important thing that we have to do."