JULY 6: The Clippers have officially completed their new deal with Plumlee, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
JULY 3: Mason Plumlee is re-signing with the Clippers on a one-year, $5MM contract, agent Mark Bartelstein tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
A longtime NBA center, Plumlee was an unrestricted free agent after his three-year, $25MM deal expired at the end of 2022/23.
He’ll be taking a pay cut to return to Los Angeles after making $9.08MM in 2022/23. According to Wojnarowski, the veteran received more lucrative offers from rival suitors in free agency.
The 22nd pick of the 2013 draft, Plumlee has played for the Nets, Trail Blazers, Nuggets, Pistons, Hornets and Clippers over the course of his 10 NBA seasons. He was having a strong season with Charlotte in ’22/23, averaging 12.2 PPG, 9.7 RPG and 3.7 APG in 56 games (28.5 MPG) as a full-time starter, before being sent to L.A. at the February trade deadline.
Plumlee’s role was slightly diminished playing behind Ivica Zubac, but he still brought solid production and size off the bench, averaging 7.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG and 1.7 APG in 23 regular season games (19.9 MPG). Overall, he shot a career-best 68% from the field last season.
A report last week stated that the Clippers might be open to moving Zubac and were comfortable having Plumlee as the starting center. It remains to be seen if that will transpire, but he’s a nice insurance policy to have either way.
The Clippers are one of the league’s top spenders, far above the luxury tax line. However, they held Plumlee’s Bird rights, so they were able to pay him more than the veteran’s minimum.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (via Twitter), the Clippers now have 16 players on standard contracts, including Jason Preston, whose contract is non-guaranteed. The young guard recently agreed to push back his salary guarantee date until July 18.
Plumlee was No. 36 on our list of this summer’s top 50 free agents.
$5 million?? On a 1-year deal somebody should have had some Mid-Level Exemption money to add Plumlee for at least twice that. Really productive with what he does. He will be the starter before the All-Star break.
Clippers don’t need Harden. They were already a problem last year even with the injuries. If they are healthy, they are easily a Top 5 team in a very strong Western Conference.
He’s 33 and has earned good money. I guess he’s tired of moving
Over Zubac ? Like plumlee but diont see that happening
Clippers are actively considering the possibility.
GSW gotta fire Steve Kerr, he’s blacklisting all over 6’6″ players off his teams and the loser front office are bowing to him – its roster malpractice, they will always lose to AD and Bron if they have no bigs.
We are talking Plumlee. His defense is horrible. Looney ate him up going against him. Plumlee is just a big man that can score but not very good at rebounding or defense. anymore.
You obviously never watch Plumlee. He is not really a scorer and never has been. He runs the floor well, get his points off dunks and put backs (59% career FG%), can handle the ball, and is a very good passer. He is still a good rebounder – last year his rebounds per 36 was the 2nd highest of his career.
His foot speed is slow. He gets easy baskets because he stays close to the rim. What i saw from him on the clippers was a slow tall guy in the middle.
He’s been around a long time. He has a lot of flaws in his game but few would describe him as a :”Slow tall guy in the middle.
He’s one of the best passing bigs in the NBA, a good rebounder, and a good finisher
the downside is he struggles to switch because of a lack of foot speed and he can’t shoot.
Plumlee is certainly faster and more athletic than Looney. We are talking about a guy who would have been expected to back up Looney not go head to head with and outplay Jokic or Embiid. So picking apart his weaknesses is silly.
Plumlee must have really wanted to stay with the Clippers. Having seen some of the contracts handed out the last week for role players who are not as good as he is, he should have easily been able to get a better contract than 1yr/5million. He would have been a perfect fit with Warriors but I don’t think they could even pay him 5mil
That’s why luxury tax matter :(
3rd best passing 7 footer?
Joker
Domas
Mase
Sengun is in there too, but I wouldn’t argue with you.
How the west was won
Warriors missed again… now get at least Dario