The Phoenix Suns have had several centers come through The Valley since correctly parting ways with Deandre Ayton, and Mason Plumlee was one of the steadier of those signings.
Now 35-years-old, much like Nick Richards he was the very definition of backup big during his one season with the Suns.
Plumlee signing with Spurs for rest of season a perfect move
Plumlee appeared in 14 games for the Charlotte Hornets (who have swapped so many centers with the Suns) this season, and was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder at the deadline.
They obviously were never going to use him, which led to Plumlee signing a 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs. That has now been converted to the rest of the season.
Mason Plumlee is signing a deal with the San Antonio Spurs for the remainder of the season, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. Plumlee completed his first 10-day contract and now will finish his 13th NBA season in San Antonio. https://t.co/FYMiJDfzq5
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 27, 2026
Although the Suns have thankfully moved past having Plumlee as a legitimate option off the bench (although he was never as bad as Drew Eubanks), this is a great move to revive his career.
The Spurs are a contender right now and have another former Phoenix center in Bismack Biyombo on the end of their bench.
He has only appeared in 15 games himself, and in Plumlee will now have some competition for the random minutes that have to be allocated on any given night.
A chance to play alongside Victor Wembanyama is also a brilliant opportunity for Plumlee to put himself in the shop window ahead of next season.
The French phenom ensures all eyes are on Texas these days, while playing alongside him could unlock some oversized power forward potential for Plumlee.
Really though all he has to do in limited minutes is convince another team, or the Spurs themselves if he beats Biyombo out of the rotation, that he can still do a job in the NBA.
Suns fans will know that nothing about his game is sexy, although there's a lot more athleticism there than Plumlee has ever been given credit for.
It is also ironic that the Suns themselves are a center down after getting rid of Richards, and Plumlee could have been the ideal stopgap ahead of next season.
He could have shown rookie Khaman Maluach the ropes, while also jumping in when Mark Williams needed a break. Worryingly that has looked more likely as of late.
Plumlee deserves this chance and his combination of size and attitude will ensure he continues to get them no matter what happens with the Spurs. A perfect landing spot for the home stretch.