A moment of appreciation for Luke Kornet, the ultimate teammate

People started to realize just how great he is at the end of his time with the Celtics.

Perhaps it was naive of me, but I genuinely thought the Celtics would get creative and find a way to keep Luke Kornet.

Jrue Holiday? Too bad, but it had to be done. Kristaps Porzingis? Also a bummer, but it felt inevitable. But not Luke. No way.

When Kornet first came to Boston, Celtics fans generally thought of him as a serviceable backup big who could eat up minutes and played the game the right way. All those things are still true, but as it turned out, he had a lot more to offer than anyone around these parts realized (except for maybe Brad Stevens).

Kornet upped his minutes, scoring and rebounding every year in Boston. With more opportunity came more production, and this year, something started to really click as he took it to the next level.

He worked extremely well with Jayson Tatum in the pick and roll, had better hands and touch around the rim than he gets credit for and became a menace defensively. Part of it was simply that he got his shot, but I also genuinely believe he got better.

We don’t always talk about role-player prime as much as we should, but the reality is that Kornet maximized his prime with the Celtics the past few years.

He’s as lovable and unassuming as a scrub who never plays, yet as skilled and polished as a high-level starter. Whatever you need him to do, he’ll do it extremely well. It’s rare to find someone who can excel in truly any role.

Whether he doesn’t play at all or logs 30 minutes, he’s still going to positively shape the culture of a team. You always knew you could trust him out there.

Kornet lightens the mood with sarcasm, goofiness and enthusiasm, but he’s also extremely competitive, has a great motor and brings out the best in those around him. Every team needs a guy like that, but few have one with such a unique gift.

My favorite Kornet clip is this one, where he campaigns to win the Tommy Award.

My favorite Kornet game is this one, where he blocked seven shots and honestly looked like Wilt Chamberlain.

While it’s certainly a tough loss for the Celtics, you can’t help but be happy for Kornet, who deserves this contract. Plus, he goes to a great franchise, gets to team up with and mentor Victor Wembanyama and has chance to help a promising young team take the next step.

If there were a Celtics role player hall of fame, I’d put Kornet in it. Not just for the way he played, but also for the way he carried himself and lifted up those around him.

They don’t make many like him. He’ll be missed.