Luke Kornet doesn’t have much time to settle in before the pressure starts building.
San Antonio is only three games into the season, but the backup center picture is already getting interesting. Kornet has opened the year slowly, and his recent stretch - including the game against the Houston Rockets - didn’t do much to quiet the questions around him.
When Victor Wembanyama ran into foul trouble, Kornet had a hard time dealing with Alperen Sengun. That’s not exactly a shocking outcome for a reserve big facing an All-Star, but it stands out because Kornet handled even elite centers better last season.
That’s where Tarris Reed Jr. enters the conversation. He has logged just 13 minutes so far, but the door is there for a bigger role as the season moves along.
Reed Jr. brings one clear NBA-ready trait in rebounding, along with the physicality and four-year college experience that make him look prepared for this level. At minimum, he gives San Antonio a different kind of option behind Kornet.
That matters because the Spurs didn’t have much depth at the position last season, even though they carried five centers. Only two were actually playable.
This year, the picture looks better. San Antonio has three playable centers already, with Reed Jr. in the mix, and possibly four if and when Jayden Quaintance makes his debut.
That gives coach Mitch Johnson more flexibility if Kornet keeps struggling.
There’s also Tobias Harris as a possible backup-center look, though Reed Jr. seems like the cleaner answer. Harris would bring a small-ball stretch-five element, but Reed Jr. offers a true center option if Johnson wants to go that route.
Right now, Kornet just hasn’t looked like the same player who helped last season. The little things that fueled his success - screen setting, rim protection, offensive rebounding and finishing alley-oops - haven’t shown up consistently. His per-36 numbers are down in scoring, rebounding and blocks, and his true shooting percentage is sitting at 42.6%, which is rough.
It’s still early, but the message is clear: if Kornet doesn’t find his form soon, Reed Jr. is there, and Johnson has every reason to turn to him.
In Other News...
Wembanyama Opens Up About The Scare That Changed Everything
Victor Wembanyamas early-2025 blood clot scare did more than end his 2024-25 season with the Spurs ahead of schedule. It also forced a reset in how he sees himself, both as a player and as a person, and he has been open about the way the health issue changed his outlook on life and basketball.
For San Antonio, the most striking part is how that experience appears to have carried over into his day-to-day presence with the team. Wembanyama says he has become more expressive and emotionally engaged, and he has linked the ordeal to both personal growth and better play, a reminder that the biggest developments around a young star are not always measured in points or blocks. [Read more 🡒]
Wembanyama Brought A Wild Halloween Look To Wolves Night
Victor Wembanyama turned the pregame scene into part costume party, part pop-culture nod before the Spurs took on the Timberwolves, showing up dressed as Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher. It fit neatly with his well-known interest in fantasy literature, and it also continued a Halloween tradition that has become a little annual subplot around the Spurs, with other players joining in on the fun.
For San Antonio, the timing added a bit of extra color to a night that came with some momentum after a recent winning streak. Wembanyamas third Halloween-themed NBA arrival was less about the game itself than the personality around it, the kind of detail that makes a young star feel larger than the box score before the opening tip. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Have A Delicate Balance As Wembanyama And Fox Roll
While Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox have helped keep San Antonio moving in the right direction, the Spurs are still managing the health side of the ledger carefully. Head coach Mitch Johnson said the team is taking a methodical, patient approach with Harris as he works back from a calf strain, a reminder that the early part of the season is about more than just the standings for a team trying to build something sustainable.
Wembanyama is still producing at a career-best scoring pace even while dealing with shooting struggles, and Fox continues to look like a steadying force at point guard after turning in a strong all-around line with 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Stephon Castle also showed his toughness by playing through a migraine in a recent game, which speaks to the competitive edge inside the locker room, but the Spurs know the bigger picture depends on keeping the rotation intact and getting everyone back to full strength at the right time. [Read more 🡒]