Luke Kornet Breaks Silence On Why He Left The Celtics

Luke Kornet was a key part of the Boston Celtics roster that won the 2024 NBA championship. He was also an integral member of the 2024-25 roster that attempted to repeat as champions. However, Kornet left Boston during the summer, signing a four-year $40.7 million deal.

During his return to the city, Kornet broke his silence on why he opted to leave the Celtics and head out to the Western Conference.

“Ultimately, it was kind of between here and Boston,” Kornet explained. “I feel like after a lot of conversations with my wife and just feeling like, honestly, a lot of prayer and realization of where we are in life. It was very, very difficult to leave a lot of different relationships. But, just kind of feeling like we’re in a different part of life and being open to wherever God kind of willed us, and I feel like that’s just where it took us. You just kind of accept it and take that step forward and try to keep figuring it out from there.”

Since leaving Boston, Kornet has established himself as an important member of the Spurs frontcourt rotation. He’s played in 30 games so far, averaging 8.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists per night, knocking down 66.7% of his attempts from the field.

In Kornet’s absence, both Neemias Queta and Luka Garza have begun to emerge as genuine NBA-level talents. Queta is proving he’s capable of being a starting center at the NBA level, while Garza has navigated his way back into the rotation after a spell glued to the bench.

Losing Kornet and everything he brings to the table was a tough blow for the Celtics. However, the veteran big man had earned the opportunity to receive a substantial raise, and the Spurs were happy to pry him away from Joe Mazzulla’s team.

Kornet and the Spurs closed out Saturday with a victory over the Celtics. It was Kornet’s first over his former team, and likely a bittersweet moment for him. After all, he still has a significant number of friends within the franchise.