NBA Free Agency 2025: Luke Kornet, Spurs Agree To Deal

The San Antonio Spurs are signing Luke Kornet away from the Boston Celtics with a four-year, $41 million contract. The 29-year-old big had a career year for the Celtics in 2024-25 and was rewarded with a significant pay raise from a Spurs team hoping to contend as soon as possible.

Free agent center Luke Kornet has agreed to a four-year, $41 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs, sources tell ESPN. Key frontcourt addition for the Spurs, who negotiated a contract tonight with Kornet's agent Max Wiepking of Gersh Sports. pic.twitter.com/cLnXxWJ2cv

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025

Grade: A

Kornet was one of the NBA’s most efficient players last season; his 68.3 percent true shooting ranked seventh among all qualifying players who played at least 41 games. All-in-one metrics viewed Kornet as an impactful two-way force, ranking in the top-50 in Estimated Plus-Minus and DARKO plus-minus.

He’s shot above 73 percent at the rim each of the last three seasons and ranked among the top 10 in offensive rebounding rate (15.3 percent) this season. Kornet will add tons of play-finishing value next to De’Aaron Fox and No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper. Kornet doesn’t space the floor much these days, but that won’t matter as much next to a stretch big like Victor Wembanyama.

Defensive metrics painted Kornet as one of the league’s most impactful defensive bigs. He ranked in the 95th percentile for rim points saved per 100 possessions (2.9). Opponents shot a staggering 11.7 percent lower than their average at the rim when Kornet contested, as they struggled to convert shots over his length and excellent timing.

Only seven players last season — one of them being Wembanyama — altered opponent averages at the rim more than Kornet. Kornet’s teams have improved defensively with him on the floor each of the past five seasons. He’ll bring much-needed defensive help to a Spurs unit which struggled when Wembanyama went to the bench last year.

The Spurs haven’t rostered a big man as productive and reliable as Kornet since Wembanyama arrived two seasons ago. Kornet’s excellent screening, rebounding, play-finishing and interior defense will let him play with and without Wembanyama, adding value in double-big lineups and as the sole center on the floor.

San Antonio will incur some risk paying up for a player who hasn’t ever eclipsed 20 minutes per game in his career, but it’s worth investing in the positive traits he’s shown consistently over the last few seasons.