Luke Kornet (Appreciation) Thread - Signs with Spurs 6/30/25

[Parliament10]

Luke is a special kind of character. He's a #3 Center, that plays like a #2, and even #1 at times.
He's got that Celtic heart. = Go out there, and Take care of Business.

[Fencer reregistered]

Theory: Kornet is more valuable to the Celtics than he might be to other teams.

Offensively, he's a system player.
Defensively, he's a system player.
His off-court intangibles are rooted in his history at the end of the bench.

On the other hand, teams might see value the Celtics wouldn't in bringing any likeable former champion into their locker room.

[return2glory]

Luke's going to get paid by someone. He deserves it. But any team that makes him a starter, might have some regrets.

[hugepatsfan]

Kornet's minimum salary for next year is $3.3M. Not that it's a huge difference, but I do think people sometimes confuse how minimum salaries work. A player gets paid based on years of service but the league pays it down to the 2nd year service minimum salary and that's what you see on the team's cap sheet. Cap sheets show Kornet at $2,087,519 last season for example, but he actually made $2,800,834 as an example.

If his other offers are the tax payers MLE at $5.7M for one year, I don't think it's insane to think they could get him back for a minimum deal. Decent chance he's a starter next year if he's back. He probably makes more in endorsements here than he would on a new team. I read he had a daughter born in 2022 and has another young child too. There's real estate implications to having to move.

If someone offers him multi year security or even a 1 year deal up closer to the standard MLE ($14.1M), then can't see him back. But not a lot of 30 year olds in today's game get multi year deals anymore. Outside of stars I feel like teams usually go year to year on older guys and especially ones who might only be regular season rotation guys vs. playoff rotation. And the way using the full tax payers MLE hard caps you at the first apron is a huge nuisance for team's now. IDK, maybe I'm naive but I'm fairly optimistic that he might be looking at re-signing here for one year $3.3M or the $5.7M taxpayers MLE somewhere else on a 1 year deal and I don't rule out him staying.

[brackdan70]

Kornet's minimum salary for next year is $3.3M. Not that it's a huge difference, but I do think people sometimes confuse how minimum salaries work. A player gets paid based on years of service but the league pays it down to the 2nd year service minimum salary and that's what you see on the team's cap sheet. Cap sheets show Kornet at $2,087,519 last season for example, but he actually made $2,800,834 as an example.

If his other offers are the tax payers MLE at $5.7M for one year, I don't think it's insane to think they could get him back for a minimum deal. Decent chance he's a starter next year if he's back. He probably makes more in endorsements here than he would on a new team. I read he had a daughter born in 2022 and has another young child too. There's real estate implications to having to move.

If someone offers him multi year security or even a 1 year deal up closer to the standard MLE ($14.1M), then can't see him back. But not a lot of 30 year olds in today's game get multi year deals anymore. Outside of stars I feel like teams usually go year to year on older guys and especially ones who might only be regular season rotation guys vs. playoff rotation. And the way using the full tax payers MLE hard caps you at the first apron is a huge nuisance for team's now. IDK, maybe I'm naive but I'm fairly optimistic that he might be looking at re-signing here for one year $3.3M or the $5.7M taxpayers MLE somewhere else on a 1 year deal and I don't rule out him staying.

Yeah I am optimistic Maybe as well.
The Green Kornet nickname doesn’t really work in other places…
For example the Purple and Gold Kornet is just a no-go

[bisme37]

I miss Luke you guys

Read on Twitter

[phincsfan]

If Luke follows this forum, he can tell Champagnie all the trade talk about him.

[165bows]

I miss Luke you guys

Read on Twitter

From a charter member of the Luke Fan Club let me take a moment and say screw that traitor



Second undrafted free agent guy the Celtics have developed into $40M+ guys in what three years? Development powerhouse.

[phincsfan]

Luke gonna enjoy that ZERO state income tax

[djFan71]

I valued his play more than the average RGMer, but feel like I valued his humor below the average.
He was more goofy, clever and amusing than he was hilarious to me.

But, dude could ball. I was hoping to see him build on those breakout Knicks playoff games.

[Smart2Nesmith43]

Congrats to Kornet for getting his bag after working himself into one of the best back up bigs in the league. I'll miss him but I'm happy he went to a good organisation that will use him the right way.

[bisme37]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[cloverleaf]

Texas gets their Dirk replacement.

[BillessuR6]

Thanks, Luke!

Sent from my SM-A536B using RealGM mobile app

[return2glory]

Congrats to Kornet. I've been saying someone will overpay for him. Spurs just did. Well deserved.

[redslastlaugh]

Congrats Luke!
Your hard work and commitment to team was really inspirational
8 NBA seasons toiling on minimums, 10 days contracts and two-ways has finally paid off!

[Shak_Celts]

My













second team!

Congrats Korny!!!

[playa-hater]

I will miss his personality and presence. But I won't miss watching Luke and Al play double Big anymore. Especially now that we have Luka and Niang

[31to6]

Congrats to the big guy.
Took a discount with us last summer — made the right choice for his family this summer — and I hope he has a blast and a ton of success playing next to the Wembyalien in TX.

Thank you, Luke!
Truly one of a kind and an amazing story

[makubesu]

You hate to lose a guy like him, but it reflects good on our development process when our guts get paid big by other teams. Hopefully the pipeline continues.