As the NBA free agency negotiating window is right around the corner, the San Antonio Spurs are reportedly setting their sights on fortifying their frontcourt, with the likes of Guerschon Yabusele and Luke Kornet emerging as potential targets. KSAT reports that Yabusele, coming off a solid performance with the Philadelphia 76ers, and Kornet, the 7-foot-1 center from Boston, are in the team's crosshairs to bolster the roster anchored by Victor Wembanyama.
Team chemistry could be key in the Spurs' efforts to sign Yabusele, who played with Wembanyama on France’s Olympic team. San Antonio hopes that connection helps them land the French forward as they aim to end a six-year playoff drought. They may use their $14.1 million mid-level exception to sign Yabusele, who averaged 11 points and 5.6 rebounds last season with strong shooting. Kornet is also in the mix—his seven blocks against the Knicks in the playoffs showed he can step up when it matters most, according to KSAT.
Moving over to the financial aspect, Athlon Sports notes that Kornet, an unrestricted free agent, may be looking for a significant pay bump this offseason after years of earning less than $3 million annually. His role could potentially expand with the Spurs, where he could be one of the only centers on the team, pushing his utilization potentially above 20 minutes a night.
Although Yabusele's courtship gains momentum, the Spurs also have eyes for Kornet, who played an average of 18 minutes per game last season, this positioning him as a possible key player for San Antonio moving forward. According to Jake Fischer, covered by both publications, rival executives believe the Spurs are seriously considering Kornet as a contender to join their ranks, hoping to inject some winning DNA into their lineup as they push for a playoff resurgence led by their rookie head coach Mitch Johnson, as per Atlon Sports.
