Veteran center Mason Plumlee agreed to a 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 17, 2026, his agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports told ESPN’s Shams Charania. The move adds short-term frontcourt depth behind Victor Wembanyama and three other bigs on the Spurs’ active roster. Plumlee, in his 13th NBA season, was recently traded by the Charlotte Hornets to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a three-team deal and was waived by the Thunder before the signing. The club views the pickup as an immediate, low-risk addition aimed at rotation flexibility and veteran insurance.
Key Takeaways
- Mason Plumlee signed a 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 17, 2026, according to agent Mark Bartelstein and ESPN reporting.
- Plumlee is in his 13th NBA season and was traded from the Hornets to the Thunder before being waived by Oklahoma City.
- He played 14 games for the Hornets this season with two starts and averaged just under nine minutes per game.
- Last season (2024–25) with the Phoenix Suns Plumlee appeared in 74 games, averaging 4.5 points and 6.1 rebounds.
- The signing makes Plumlee the fifth center on the Spurs’ roster, joining Victor Wembanyama, Luke Kornet, Kelly Olynyk and Bismack Biyombo.
- The 10-day term gives the Spurs short-term roster flexibility without a long-term cap commitment.
Background
Mason Plumlee entered the NBA in 2013 and has carved out a role as a mobile, screening big who contributes rebounds, rim protection and pick-and-roll finishing. Over his career he has been valued for frontline experience and a consistent offensive role around the basket rather than high-volume scoring. Plumlee’s most substantial playing time in recent seasons came with the Phoenix Suns in 2024–25, when he appeared in 74 games and averaged 4.5 points and 6.1 rebounds, numbers that reflected a steady rotational center role.
This season Plumlee’s minutes and opportunities diminished after he joined Charlotte, totaling 14 games with two starts and averaging just under nine minutes per game. In mid-February he was moved to Oklahoma City as part of a three-team trade before the Thunder waived him, making him available on the open market. The Spurs, amid a long season and occasional frontcourt availability issues, opted to bring in a veteran for immediate depth.
Main Event
On Feb. 17, 2026, Plumlee agreed to a 10-day contract with San Antonio, a signing confirmed to ESPN by his representative Mark Bartelstein. The short-term deal is a common mechanism for teams to cover injuries, rest players, or test veteran fits without committing to a full-season contract. For Plumlee it is an opportunity to re-establish NBA game minutes and demonstrate value to the Spurs or other clubs over the coming weeks.
The Spurs’ current big-man group already features Victor Wembanyama as the franchise center, alongside Luke Kornet, Kelly Olynyk and Bismack Biyombo. Adding Plumlee creates a five-man pool of players who can log minutes as prescribed by matchup and load-management plans. San Antonio’s coaching staff will evaluate Plumlee in practice and games to determine whether he addresses specific needs—rim defense, pick-and-roll coverage or offensive spacing in short spurts.
Plumlee’s recent usage patterns suggest he will be slotted into limited minutes initially, where his experience and fundamentals can provide stability in second-unit lineups. The 10-day window also leaves room for Spurs front office decisions depending on injuries, performance and roster moves before the end of the regular season.
Analysis & Implications
Strategically, the Spurs’ decision reflects a preference for veteran, low-risk depth rather than an immediate upgrade in scoring or athleticism. Plumlee brings positional size and a known set of skills—screen-setting, offensive finishing near the rim and rebound positioning—that are useful in short stints. For San Antonio, preserving minutes for Victor Wembanyama while ensuring competent backup options is likely a priority, especially during stretches of condensed scheduling.
Financially and roster-wise, a 10-day contract is inexpensive and reversible; it allows the Spurs to respond quickly if a rotation player is unavailable. If Plumlee performs well, the team could either sign him to a second 10-day or a rest-of-season deal, though that would require a corresponding roster move. Conversely, if Plumlee fails to fit the rotation needs, the Spurs can part ways with minimal cost.
For Plumlee, the stint is a chance to showcase reliability after limited minutes in Charlotte and the mid-February waiver. Strong play over these short-term games could revive interest from contending teams seeking playoff-ready depth. However, given his recent usage, expectations for a dramatic role increase should be tempered; the more realistic outcome is situational minutes and occasional matchups where his skill set is relevant.
Comparison & Data
| Season/Team | Games | Starts | Minutes | PPG | RPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 (Hornets) | 14 | 2 | Just under 9 mpg | N/A | N/A |
| 2024–25 (Suns) | 74 | — | Role minutes | 4.5 | 6.1 |
The table highlights the contrast between Plumlee’s 2024–25 season with the Suns—regular rotation work across 74 games—and his limited appearances in 2025–26 before the trade-and-waive sequence. Those differences inform expectations: the Spurs are likely to use Plumlee in short, specific roles rather than as a heavy-minute solution.
Reactions & Quotes
“Mason Plumlee is signing a 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs,”
ESPN / Shams Charania (media report)
“The agreement was confirmed by Plumlee’s representative, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports,”
Priority Sports (agency confirmation)
“Plumlee’s addition adds another experienced frontcourt option behind Wembanyama, Kornet, Olynyk and Biyombo,”
Team transaction notice / Spurs roster update
Unconfirmed
- Whether the Spurs intend to offer Plumlee a second 10-day or a rest-of-season deal is not confirmed.
- Specific projected minutes and role for Plumlee in upcoming Spurs games remain undecided and will depend on coaching evaluations and matchup needs.
- Any locker-room or longer-term strategic plans for Plumlee beyond immediate depth are not publicly stated by the Spurs.
Bottom Line
The Spurs’ 10-day signing of Mason Plumlee on Feb. 17, 2026, is a pragmatic move to bolster frontcourt depth with a veteran who knows the pick-and-roll and can provide minutes in situational matchups. It preserves flexibility for the organization while offering Plumlee a chance to re-enter regular rotation minutes after limited action this season.
How impactful the move will be depends on Plumlee’s early on-court fit and whether San Antonio sees enough value to extend him beyond the short-term window. For now, the deal is a standard, low-risk roster strategy that addresses immediate needs without altering the team’s broader roster architecture.