Luke Kornet needs Dylan Harper back on the bench, and so does Dylan Harper

Spurs fans haven't been in love with what Luke Kornet has been putting on the floor recently, and they want Mitch Johnson to do something about it. Instead, San Antonio's head coach defended the 10-year vet, spreading the blame to the players Kornet is sharing the floor with. Mitch is absolutely right to do that.

After Wednesday's overtime win in Utah, Johnson told the media, "The four guys that are out there with Luke need to be better." His argument was that the Kornet conversation gets distorted because people are really comparing the backup to the freakishly athletic starter, and when the same four play alongside both, the problem goes deeper than just the man in the middle.

Keldon Johnson, who shares most of those minutes, agreed, saying defense takes all five and the bench has to be sharper in its shifts before anyone asks Luke to cover everything. Victor Wembanyama called it a system, whatever the lineup, and suggested the comparisons between him and his backup were pointless.

The bench's biggest problem is still missing Dylan Harper

Harper ran the second units last season. His production was a big reason the bench's minutes held up, and his rim pressure created opportunities for Kornet. They worked well as a duo, and now the sophomore guard starts, so the staggered lineups aren't the same. Everyone is taking time to adjust.

The three-guard lineup has been improving—through five games, the starting five is +9.4 overall—so who's to say the bench won't, too? Don't let my optimism fool you, though. I still believe bringing Harper off the bench is what's best for the team, and right now, it may be what's best for him.

Starting hasn’t made Dylan Harper better

Dylan's points per game are up from 11.8 to 17.2, but I wouldn't actually say that he's been better than he was last season. If that's coming, he hasn't shown it yet. The 2025 No. 2 pick's efficiency numbers and advanced stats are down everywhere except at the free-throw line. That's taken a jump from 75.6% to 92.3%. The rest have dropped.

2025-26: 50.5% FG, 34.3% 3PT, 57.4% TS, 16.2 PER, 1.4 BPM, 1.3 VORP, 4.2 WS
2026-27: 45.9% FG, 33.3% 3PT, 53.9% TS, 15.9 PER, -0.1 BPM, 0.1 VORP, 0.4 WS
(All stats via BasketballReference.com)

To me, it's simple: Harper could attack freely and consistently when he entered the game. It was his show to run as the talented lead playmaker of the group. Now, he may start the game by standing in the corner or floating around the perimeter while Wemby, De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Devin Vassell eat.

A vicious attack dog is forced to sit patiently and wait his turn while the other big dogs eat. I think it throws off his rhythm. Mitch Johnson could always stick him back on the bench. That would be the easy solve. But I can understand wanting a chance to work through the rough patches. Maybe there's something golden on the other side.

Right now, there's a lot of muck to wade through, and much of it ends up on Kornet. But that's because backing up Victor Wembanyama makes you an easy target. That's not to say Luke is off the hook. It'd be nice to see him grab some more boards and finish a few hook shots or something. Those are the things he can control. But it's not all on him, and that feels like a fair middle ground.

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