Contract details show Spurs got a steal with their backup big man

Kornet left the cost-cutting Boston Celtics for the Spurs after 3+ seasons where he became a key reserve on a title-winning team, starting 16 games last season and providing solid rebounding, shot-blocking and passing in 18.6 minutes per game. Now Hoops Hype's Michael Scotto reports that the deal has just $24M in guaranteed salary, descends in value each season and has only partial guarantees for the third year.

In a free-agent environment where Clint Capela received over $21M, plus a five percent trade kicker to be the third center on the Houston Rockets, Kornet's deal is excellent. He's a big upgrade on last year's group of backup big men, which included players like Zach Collins and Bismack Biyombo. Kornet is an excellent screen-setter and passer out of the post, and blocked an impressive 2.1 shots per 36 minutes in his Celtics career — not to mention all the shooters he distracted with his "Eclipse" technique.

The 29-year-old Kornet (30 on July 15) got serious money for the first time in his NBA career, but he got it at a time when the Spurs can easily afford it. Wembanyama is almost assured a maximum rookie extension, but that won't kick in until 2027-28, when Kornet's deal has only $2.55M guaranteed. That makes him easy to trade, but also easy to keep.

Plus, the Western Conference is getting bigger. The Rockets have three centers and 6-foot-11 Jabari Smith. The Oklahoma City Thunder won a title thanks to starting two seven-footers in Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. The Minnesota Timberwolves have Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid, the Los Angeles Clippers have Ivica Zubac and Brook Lopez and the Denver Nuggets have Nikola Jokic and Jonas Valanciunas.

Kornet is a perfect fit and a much-needed injection of size for the Spurs. But the most valuable bit of size might be the size of his contract for the final two years.