Glaring Luke Kornet flaw keeps sinking Spurs' second unit

Despite being one of the best backup centers in the NBA, San Antonio Spurs big man Luke Kornet continues to struggle. It's as if someone turned a light switch off, and the Kornet we got during last regular season is gone and replaced with a far less effective version.

Since the beginning of the playoffs, Kornet has struggled mightily to anchor the second unit. Teams relentlessly attack him at the basket, and he hasn't been the same level of rim protector.

That means that when Victor Wembanyama is on the bench for 17 minutes per game, the Spurs are prone to being attacked defensively. Against the Dallas Mavericks, Kornet was an unsightly -22 in 14 minutes, with his rim protection being a major issue.

In fact, his defensive field goal percentage has dropped drastically, going from just 44.9% last season to 53% this season. The problem is, if Kornet isn't playing at the same level he was last season, then San Antonio is all the more likely to be a big negative when Wembanyama is off the floor.

The Spurs still haven't solved glaring Luke Kornet weakness

Having a great team struggle when their superstar is on the bench isn't unusual, but San Antonio attempted to game plan for that by signing Kornet last summer. Initially, it worked like a charm with him being one of the best backup centers in the NBA.

However, since his steady decline, San Antonio must consider all their options to solve this problem, one being Tarris Reed Jr. Replacing a 10-year veteran with a rookie would normally be a risky move. Even so, Kornet hasn't played well enough to be guaranteed a role.

At the very least, giving Reed Jr. five minutes here and there to see if he can make an impact couldn't hurt. After all, he could help the Spurs generate second-chance points by relentlessly attacking the offensive glass.

Tarris Reed Jr. gives the Spurs an alternative to Luke Kornet

That wouldn't necessarily solve the problem of other teams attacking the basket with reckless abandon when Wembanyama is out of the game. Then again, he has a knack for grabbing offensive boards, and that would give the Spurs more scoring opportunities while keeping the ball out of opponents' hands.

Unlike last season, San Antonio has more center options, but thus far coach Mitch Johnson has yet to pull the trigger on making a move. He's barely even given him a chance this season, playing him just 23 minutes in five games.

That must change with Johnson needing to give Reed Jr. a chance to show what he can do. Perhaps Johnson is waiting for Kornet to find his footing again, but the Spurs' second unit is getting smoked at the moment.

That should lead to more experimentation to see what works. Right now, Kornet isn't the answer, but Reed Jr. might be.

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