It hasn't taken long for San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet to impress in Silver and Black. He has played impressively well during the team's scrimmage and preseason games thus far, showing that he is a clear free agent steal.
So much so that even the national media has begun to catch on. Recently NBA Draft expert Sam Vecenie mentioned that he believes that Kornet is “probably the 30th-ish best center in the league." That might sound like an insult, but it's far from it.
Kornet being a starting-caliber center that comes off the bench for the Spurs means that he is more than qualified to be a backup big man. San Antonio definitely isn't complaining after getting him locked in to a 4-year, $39 million deal.
Luke Kornet is already making the Spurs look like geniuses
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With him only being 29 years old, he should be a key player on the Spurs for the next several seasons and solve one of the team's biggest issues. Historically, teams struggle when their best player is off the floor, and it's no different when Wembanyama isn't playing.
Fortunately, with Kornet, they have an insurance policy in case Wembanyama is out for an extended period of time, simply gets into foul trouble, or just needs a breather. He will even play next to Wemby, and they have already done so several times during the preseason to impressive results.
The Spurs have a long history of playing two big men together. And while that was during the Gregg Popovich era, [coach Mitch Johnson](https://airalamo.com/mitch-johnson-being-disrespected-before-even-given-real-shot?utm_source=gol) seems intrigued by the idea.
Kornet could very well be Wembanyama's Tiago Splitter—a big man who can fit seamlessly next to an all-star without mucking up the spacing. Splitter was a talented passer, set devastating screens, and was a terrific roll man, and Kornet fits that almost to a T.
Luke Kornet is the perfect frontcourt mate for Victor Wembanyama
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The Spurs will still probably prioritize shooting over two-big-men lineups, with Harrison Barnes being the perfect fit. But having two seven-footers share the floor still provides the Spurs with a clear advantage, and it may be something they go to for five minutes a game.
Wembanyama being able to space the floor means they could probably make any two-big lineup work even if there is a lack of overall shooting. Kornet can get the Spurs extra possessions and free up the [likes of De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper,](https://airalamo.com/spurs-have-only-one-way-crush-never-ending-3-guard-trade-rumors?utm_source=gol) or Devin Vassell. If the Spurs can gel on offense, then they could thrive defensively in those two big-man lineups, making it a potentially potent lineup.
With Kornet, the Spurs could win the non-Wembanyama minutes, dramatically increasing their floor. They could also pair the two together to create unique lineups, giving the Spurs the best of both worlds and proving they got a big free agent steal.