3 Celtics Playing Their Final Season in Boston

2. Luke Kornet

Luke Kornet has never been the best center in the league, but he's excelled in a bench role since signing with the Celtics in 2022. Fortunately, it's been business as usual for the 7-foot-2 center this season.

In 39 games so far, Kornet is averaging 4.9 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting a career-high 68.9% from the floor on 3.1 attempts per game. He's also stepped up when Boston needed him due to injury, averaging 13.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists across two starts.

If Kornet is playing so well, why would the Celtics let him walk as a free agent this summer? Assuming that he doesn't fall off for the remainder of the year, the ex-Vanderbilt product could look for a bigger opportunity elsewhere. He's proven that he can handle big minutes but won't get many of those opportunities as long as Porzingis is around and stays healthy.

Losing Kornet would definitely be unfortunate, but it'd be nice to see a well-respected veteran getting the money he deserves. He's been playing on a veteran's minimum deal over the last two seasons, so chances are he'd like a decent pay day before he turns 30 next year.