Spurs' open scrimmage provides perfect demonstration for prize offseason signing

The open scrimmage was neither a disaster nor a success, because it was the Spurs vs the Spurs. But it was fun, and fans got a chance to see their beloved Silver and Black on the floor for the first time since the end of the 2024-25 season. There isn't a ton to take from the game since it's the first action they've had in a while, but you can make something of what Luke Kornet showed.

The jolly seven-footer was acquired via free agency after the Celtics were unable to offer him an agreeable contract. San Antonio swooped him up on the first day of free agency, and they'll benefit greatly from his understanding of the game. He put it on display today in the most Spurs way possible: unassumingly.

Kornet is always in the right place

If you watched the ex-Celtics champion closely, he was involved in plenty of action. He didn't do any yelling, and he didn't beat his chest, but he made his presence felt. He moved his feet well, defending Victor Wembanyama as well as you'd expect anyone to defend him. And Vic still got off, but that wasn't Kornet's fault.

His addition reminds me of when the Spurs picked up Tiago Splitter many moons ago. He's not here to make highlight plays. He's going to do the dirty work, follow the fundamentals, and be where you need him to be. Those things are so valuable to a team trying to get into the postseason and make some noise once they're there.

Kornet set strong screens tonight. He has a wide and strong body that defenders can't easily get around. It's one of the most underrated aspects of basketball today. So many big men want to slip to the basket or set flare screens where they barely touch the guy. Wembanyama isn't the best screen setter because of his frame, but Luke fixes that issue.

It can be difficult to truly get to all the different reads you can make as a guard coming off a screen that doesn't work. Kornet's screens will work wonders for opening up the offense. But he's also a fine offensive rebounder. There were several times tonight when the Vanderbilt alum followed the driver, grabbed an offensive board, and put it back in for easy points.

Second-chance points were not a strength of this team last season. This game is difficult enough. Giving your guys extra opportunities to add to the scoreboard is an invaluable skill, and Luke knows how to get it done. He's going to make this team much better just because of his basketball IQ, and he put it on display tonight.