Unsung Spurs hero has set standard most big man should follow

Where would the San Antonio Spurs be without Luke Kornet this season? That's a question that Spurs fans don't want to have answered.

After all, this team is 18-2 when he starts, and Kornet was a key reason why they were able to weather several injuries to star Victor Wembanyama. That makes him the most impactful free agent signing from last summer when San Antonio nabbed him for a song.

That 4-year, $41 million deal is aging like fine wine. In fact, it guarantees the Spurs will have a reliable and affordable backup to their superstar for the foreseeable future.

The fact that Kornet has developed into one of the better backup big men in the NBA is a testament to how hard he's worked. Remember, in his first five years in the NBA, he played for five teams and wasn't even a rotation player until his age 27 season with the Boston Celtics.

Going from being a journeyman to being a key part of a championship team is impressive, to say the least. Now factor in that he had to completely change his game to do so, and it only goes to show that Kornet is indeed a unicorn.

Luke Kornet has set a standard for today's big men

Kornet was previously a stretch five but wasn't quite good enough to carve out a role. No matter, because he reworked his game, instead focusing on a few skills that he excels at.

One of his strengths is that he excels as a screen setter who can clear out plenty of space, allowing for his teammates to get downhill and attack the paint. That has been hugely impactful, with him ranking third in the NBA in screen assists this season.

That has helped De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper get into the paint much easier. Kornet is also the Spurs' best roll man since Jakob Poeltl but gives them a lob threat. That has given him a reliable form of offense that he can use to punish teams that ignore him in the pick and roll.

Luke Kornet does all of the little things right

Then there is offensive rebounding. His per-minute offensive rebounding rate is more than two boards better than the second-best player on the Spurs. That's an extremely useful skill that generates second-chance points for the Silver and Black.

In fact, he's grabbed at least five offensive boards in eight games this season. Just recently, he snatched up nine offensive rebounds against the Oklahoma City Thunder in just 16 minutes.

Never mind that it creates second-chance points for a moment. Kornet attacking the offensive glass keeps teams from getting out in transition, with them having to send two players to secure the defensive glass. In turn, that helps the Spurs control the pace and forces teams to have to score against San Antonio's half-court defense.

With Wembanyama playing more minutes, Kornet has seen his role decrease but will still come in handy during the second half of the season and the playoffs. After all, Wemby could get in foul trouble or, basketball gods forbid, get injured again.

There is also the possibility of them playing together in the postseason against teams that have big frontlines, such as the Minnesota Timberwolves. No matter if he's starting or coming off the bench, Kornet has proven to be a fantastic signing.

His skill set might not be the most flashy, but it's certainly effective and something that has been much-needed for the Spurs.