The Boston Celtics will hate to lose anyone else for the 2025-26 season after Jayson Tatum's injury, but they have some decisions to make on key free agents like Luke Kornet and Al Horford. With the uncertainty of the Celtics' situation next season, the centers could look for a new home elsewhere.
That's where the Los Angeles Lakers come in. The Lakers dealt Anthony Davis to acquire Luka Doncic, a move that the front office would never take back. However, in doing so, they severely hampered their front-court depth. It became an issue in the postseason, and there is no way they'll enter the 2025-26 season without addressing it.
Luke Kornet is precisely the type of player the Lakers are looking for. While we haven't seen him play more than 18 minutes per game, Kornet could be ready to step into a bigger role. His floor time has been rising every season over the past three years with the Celtics, which in turn has made him a fan favorite in Boston.
The Lakers need some front-court depth for defense against some of the teams in the Western Conference and to create spacing for their playmakers, LeBron James and Doncic. While Kornet's numbers might not excite Lakers fans, he would fit perfectly in that role as a decoy with the talent on the Los Angeles roster.
The Lakers have other targets, such as Larry Nance Jr. There's a possibility that LeBron's influence will lead them to his former teammate, but if not, Kornet seems like the next best fit with their current salary situation.