Unlikely big man is becoming Celtics star of preseason

Luke Kornet is entering his third full season with the Boston Celtics. The 7-foot-2 center has become a consistent member of the team's bench rotation since joining the franchise, playing a legitimate role in Boston's run to the 2024 NBA championship.

During the Celtics' three preseason games thus far, Kornet has been the standout performer. With Kristaps Porzingis recovering from offseason surgery and Al Horford still working his way back to fitness, Kornet has found himself playing in the starting lineup. Now, he could find himself sticking with that starting unit until Porzingis returns, allowing Horford to come off the bench and manage his minutes.

“Yeah, there are thoughts of doing whatever makes sense for the team,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said during a post-practice media availability, per Bobby Manning of CLNS Media. “Obviously, he's [Horford] been great for us both coming off the bench and starting, so we just have to make a decision/ Whatever we think is best for the team at the time, we'll do. And it's a credit to him that he's open-minded enough to know that. He'll just do whatever's best for the team.”

On Saturday, Kornet turned in a high-level performance as the Celtics decimated the Philadelphia 76ers' second-string team. His ability to make passing reads out of the short roll, create space through his screening, space the floor as a weak-side slot presence and defend the rim as a drop-defender were all on display throughout the night.

"Luke knows how to play, being in the right place at the right time," Jaylen Brown said in his postgame news conference. "Being able to find him and get him going, helps our offense and everyone get easy ones. So, we look forward to Luke being able to step up and make plays on both ends. He's a big part of our offense."

Kornet ended the night with 15 points, eight rebounds and two assists, shooting 7-for-10 from the field. His movement has become a core part of how Boston uses its non-shooting bigs within a five-out offense, often leaning on Kornet's ability to initiate dribble hand-off actions around the perimeter.

However, Mazzulla believes Kornet's contributions on the defensive end are often overlooked. When speaking to the media on Saturday, he cited Kornet as being one of the team's best defenders due to his ability to read the game and vocalize coverages.

"He's worked really hard this summer and I've definitely seen him get better," Mazzulla said, per Justin Turpin of WEEI. "His screen reads, his spacing recognition. He's one of our best defenders because of his ability to communicate on the fly. ...I think he's gotten really better offensively up to this point. ...He continues to get better and better."

When you have the level of depth the Celtics do, you can afford to be fluid with your starting lineups. With Porzingis being sidelined, it's possible that Horford and Kornet take turns suiting up with the starting five.

Nevertheless, leaning on Kornet makes sense. Horford is entering his age-38 season. Finding ways to keep him fresh for the postseason will be imperative. He's one of the most important pieces of the rotation, both as a versatile two-way contributor and a vocal leader on the court.

Kornet's improvements have given Mazzulla a welcomed headache. He's capable of being the starting center within the Celtics system. If that means allowing Horford to play a contained role with fewer minutes for stretches of the season, it may be a change worth exploring. After all, keeping the roster healthy is a key aspect to retaining the title of NBA champions next summer.