Every concern San Antonio Spurs fans have had about De’Aaron Fox applies to Luke Kornet. Fox, of course, has been included in trade rumors all summer long after a disappointing Finals performance.
Even if the Spurs were interested in trading Fox, demand for the veteran point guard has never been lower. Sure, he’s coming off an All-Star season, but he’s still owed $222 million over the next four seasons. Simply put, he’s not worth it.
In the regular season, the Spurs had a net rating of +4.3 when Kornet was on the floor. That means they outscored opponents by 4.3 points every 100 possessions. When he was off the floor, that rating skyrocketed to +10.1, but it’s worth noting that Victor Wembanyama was on the floor for almost all of those minutes.
For a backup, a +4.3 net rating is fantastic. It means the Spurs weren’t bleeding minutes when Wemby sat.
In the postseason, though, Kornet lost the plot. His rating plummeted to -3.0, and by Game 5 of the Finals, he was borderline unplayable. The same issues that put Fox in mock trades also impacted Kornet, but he’s been able to fly under the radar this summer.
Why Spurs Have No Interest in Trading Luke Kornet
During Wembanyama’s NBA tenure, he’s been backed up by Zach Collins, Charles Bassey, Bismack Biyombo, and Kornet. Last summer, finding a real backup was a top priority, and for the regular season, it looked like the Spurs had landed one.
Then, he disappeared in the Finals. When they needed him most, the durable, reliable center was nowhere to be found.
So why has he avoided trade talks? Especially considering that his contract is reasonable and easy to move, unlike Fox’s?
Well, the minutes he gets aren’t preventing anyone else from developing. Sure, the Spurs landed Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed in the NBA Draft, although neither of them is expected to be impact players anytime soon. Fox, on the other hand, is standing in the way of Dylan Harper’s development. Even if Fox is the better player now, fans know that the Harper era is coming.
On top of that, the expectations for Fox and Kornet were vastly different. Fox was asked to be a steady hand, especially in the playoffs. When the Spurs needed a cool veteran hand most, he was absent. Kornet, meanwhile, is a backup. Sure, he could have been better, but the blame is placed on the second unit in a very different way.
Kornet made $11 million last season. Fox made $37 million.
Both veterans were incredibly disappointing against the New York Knicks. If they played the same way as they did in the regular season, the Spurs probably would have won their sixth title. Fans can–and do–blame both.
But only one is being included in trade talks. Losing games is one thing. Standing in the way of the Spurs’ future is another. Fans have decided that Fox is doing just that, and Kornet isn’t.
They might be onto something.
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