The Boston Celtics did not want to see Luke Kornet walk out the door this summer. However, the punitive nature of the NBA's collective bargaining agreement forced their hand.
Boston spent the last two seasons operating over the second apron. That aggressive approach, going all-in before the full effects of the new CBA took hold, helped deliver a championship. However, they had to prioritize flexibility this offseason.
That allowed the San Antonio Spurs to swoop in and sign Kornet. John Hollinger of The Athletic deemed it one of the smartest moves of the offseason.
"The Spurs' landing of Kornet with the bulk of their non-taxpayer midlevel exception [four years, $41 million] was a strong piece of business," declared the former vice president of basketball operations for the Memphis Grizzlies.