Can Luke Kornet be the first center off the bench?

The Boston Celtics got here into the low season with two clear-cut wants: playmaking and bench taking pictures. Each of these wants have been fulfilled, and the Celtics now have one of many deepest rosters within the NBA. Nonetheless, as a part of the deal to land Malcolm Brogdon, the Celtics needed to half methods with Daniel Theis, and now, their heart rotation is trying quite skinny.

As issues at the moment stand, Luke Kornet is the crew’s major backup heart and might be beginning the season with a considerably elevated position to the one we’ve seen him occupy in latest seasons. After all, Kornet has impressed briefly stretches, primarily because of his rim safety, pick-and-roll protection because the drop man, and talent to function because the “popper” on offense.

“We’re actually excessive on Luke. We’ve been actually excessive on Luke. We thought he had a terrific G-League season, and assume that he can step proper in and be a passer, a ball-handler, a mover, a screener, and a curler when want be. We’ll in all probability add yet another individual that may play in that space, however we’re actually believing in Luke as not solely depth that may assist fill out the roster, but additionally be prepared to assist us, and assist us win. I believe he’s at that stage the place he may also help us try this,” Brad Stevens said during a July 12 press conference.

But, the query isn’t whether or not Kornet has improved, however quite, can he be an impactful member of a championship contending crew — particularly a crew that likes to change defensive actions constantly and aggressively? Whereas Kornet is a proficient rim protector, and might respectably learn an offense, he’s a drop defending large man.

At instances all through final season, we did see Ime Udoka change his defensive play to a system the place positions 1-through-4 would change actions whereas the 5-man dropped – it was a way Boston experimented with towards Stephen Curry within the NBA Finals, however it additionally made appearances all through the common season and earlier post-season collection.

As you’ll be able to see within the above defensive possession, Robert Williams operates in a slight drop, however as a result of Stephen Curry receives the display excessive up the ground, Boston’s key defensive large man has to fulfill the celebrity guard on the perimeter. The most important distinction right here is that Williams is extremely able to guarding smaller gamers because of his lateral quickness and talent to flip his hips and alter path if he will get crushed off the dribble.

Once you take a look at Kornet, he doesn’t boast that very same degree of mobility, which suggests he’ll in all probability be requested to function in a deeper drop, and whereas that’s completely superb, good shooters will make the most of the pocket of house that depth creates and can both interact him and blow by, or pull up for an open middie.

Fortunately, Kornet is a professional 7-footer and his presence in entrance of a shooter is sufficient to pressure them to barely alter their launch level and that may make all of the distinction. Nonetheless, after we noticed the Texas native defending nearer to the perimeter, it primarily got here off a change that noticed him interact the ball-handler, as he went from a shallow drop right into a man-to-man protection — much like what we noticed from Al Horford within the NBA Finals.

Total, although, Kornet offered admirable protection, each within the G-League and through his restricted NBA recreation time, as proven by the below-shot chart, which depicts conversion charges when guarded by the 7’2’’ heart.

Shot success towards Luke Kornet

It’s price remembering that almost all of those shot makes an attempt occurred towards G-League competitors, and the conversion fee will doubtlessly enhance towards NBA-level gamers. Nonetheless, there may be loads of defensive upside for Kornet as a rotational large off the bench, assuming Udoka is prepared to regulate his coverages to suit him into the system.

On offense, we’ve got an analogous story – Kornet isn’t a rim runner, and gained’t present the above-the-rim play that you’re going to get from Robert Williams, however he’s a dependable screener, can unfold the court docket, and is succesful as a curler or short-roll pivot level.

These two possessions do a very good job of illustrating the kind of pick-and-roll offense you’re going to get from Kornet. Within the first possession, you get a smidgen of perimeter playmaking with the elbow hand-off, adopted by a very good roll to the rim and uncontested end. Whereas within the second possession, you see the ball-handler reject the display, inflicting Kornet to pop onto the perimeter and house the ground — these are basically the roles we’re going to see him occupy for Boston subsequent season, together with being an off-ball screener and dunker spot occupier.

Nonetheless, I’ve been quite vocal about my perception that Boston must discover a manner of matching Robert Williams’ minutes, and ideally, that will imply discovering one other rim-runner who can impression the ground with rebounding, and a few above-the-rim play (assume Dwight Howard, or earlier than he signed a suggestion sheet, JaVale McGee). Whereas Kornet fills quite a lot of holes that Daniel Theis left behind, it was clear from the outset that Theis didn’t match Udoka’s fashion of play, so logic dictates that Kornet could discover it tough to nail down a daily rotation spot, too.

Nonetheless, with the Evan Fournier TPE due to expire today (July 18) it’s honest to imagine that Stevens wasn’t merely paying lip service when he mentioned his perception that Kornet could possibly be an vital member of the rotation. Sadly, with Boston being a real championship contender, the jury will stay out on whether or not Kornet being a major backup possibility is sufficient to see the Celtics by way of the common season and into the playoffs.