A fierce debate has erupted among San Antonio Spurs supporters over backup center Luke Kornet, forcing head coach Mitch Johnson and star players Victor Wembanyama and Keldon Johnson to publicly step in and address the growing friction.
While frustrated fans have pointed fingers at Kornet’s recent struggles during second-unit minutes, Coach Johnson delivered a sharp reality check after Wednesday’s thrilling overtime road victory against the Utah Jazz, insisting the issue isn’t Kornet—it is the drop-off in production from the four players sharing the court with him.
Johnson slammed the unfair comparisons between Kornet and generational superstar Wembanyama, highlighting that the primary issue plaguing San Antonio’s bench is the absence of Dylan Harper, whose promotion to the starting lineup has disrupted the second unit’s entire offensive identity.
Mitch Johnson and Wemby Call Out Bench Unit: “Look at the Four Guys Around Him”
Speaking to reporters following the nail-biting win in Salt Lake City, Johnson refused to scapegoat the 10-year NBA veteran, spreading the accountability across the entire second unit:
“The four guys that are out there with Luke need to be better.”
Wembanyama echoed his coach’s sentiments, dismissing comparisons between himself and his backup center as completely pointless, while Keldon Johnson emphasized that defensive rotations require all five players on the floor to execute together:
“Defense takes all five… The bench has to be sharper in its shifts before anyone asks Luke to cover everything.”
The Dylan Harper Dilemma: Why Starting Is Ruining the No. 2 Pick’s Efficiency
Last season, Harper operated as the primary engine for San Antonio’s second unit, utilizing his elite rim pressure to collapse interior defenses and open up easy lob opportunities for Kornet.
While the Spurs’ new three-guard starting lineup featuring De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Harper has proven lethal—posting an impressive +9.4 net rating through five games—Harper’s individual efficiency metrics have taken a noticeable dive since stepping into a starting role alongside Wembanyama.
Despite his scoring average climbing from 11.8 to 17.2 points per game, analytical tracking paints a concerning picture for the sophomore guard:
- Shooting Percentage Drop: Field goal percentage fell from 50.5% to 45.9%, while three-point efficiency dropped to 33.3%.
- True Shooting Slump: True shooting percentage plummeted from 57.4% down to 53.9%.
- Advanced Metrics Freeze: Box Plus-Minus (BPM) cratered from 1.4 down to -0.1, with Value Over Replacement Player (VORP) plummeting from 1.3 to 0.1.
Should Mitch Johnson Send Harper Back to the Second Unit?
Rather than running the show as the lead playmaker off the pine, Harper often finds himself standing on the perimeter while Wembanyama, Fox, Castle, and Devin Vassell handle early-clock possessions.
While demoting Harper back to the bench would instantly fix Kornet’s pick-and-roll partnership and restore second-unit spacing, Johnson seems intent on letting his star sophomore work through the growing pains.
Unless San Antonio’s bench players elevate their defensive intensity and physical rebounding alongside Kornet, calls for Harper to return to his sixth-man role will only grow louder on River City.
