SAN ANTONIO – For the first time since joining the Spurs, Mason Plumlee is available to play for San Antonio.
Charlotte waived him after the trade deadline allowing Plumlee to sign with San Antonio, first on a 10-day contract and then for the rest of the season. He’s been recovering from a December groin surgery and ramping up for a return to the court, and told reporters on Tuesday that he’s finally available to make his debut in Silver and Black.
“My body feels great, they had a good plan to get me back to playing shape, and I’m ready to go,” he said. “We’ve been playing pickup, 5-on-5, getting up and down, to me that’s the best way to get in basketball shape.”
Before their marquee matchup against the Celtics on Tuesday night, Mitch Johnson spoke about what the the 36-year-old big man adds to the team.
“Mason’s been around the league, very experienced, and we just wanted to add depth at that spot, and thought he was also a different type, I guess you could say, than (Bismack Biyombo and Kelly Oubre) and the guys that we already had,” Johnson said.
Johnson is only three years older, and he met Plumlee when he was a highly-touted high school recruit.
“I hosted him at Stanford, so I’ve known him for a long time. He was a rookie for KG and Paul Pierce in Brooklyn, so there’s quite a bit of experience and stories,” Johnson said. “He is a guy that has played with high level players and played a few different types of roles, and has seen different levels of success throughout this league, on different teams, and to be able to add someone that we feel like is in addition to our group, that’s something that we felt like we could continue to add depth to, as well as being the type of quality person that he is, is a positive.”
Plumlee has been playing at a high level for the last two decades, and he’s impressed with this young Spurs team.
“Right now the way that our team’s playing, the ball’s moving really well they’re playing really fast, it’s an unselfish group. All characteristics of teams I really enjoy playing on,” Plumlee said. “The last couple weeks presented a lot of different challenges in terms of personnel matchups, schedule, whatever, and this group’s met the challenge each time. The talent, the depth, the youth in a good way, I still believe big things for this group.”
Plumlee won three consecutive high school state championships before four years at Duke and an NCAA title. He’s played in 12 playoff series and 71 postseason games, the same number of games as Harrison Barnes. The Larry O’Brien trophy has eluded Plumlee to this point, and as this special Spurs season continues he’ll have a shot to be a part of a deep run. It’s no surprise that he wanted to come to San Antonio.
“Once I knew I was free, I reached out myself to a couple people here and just said, ‘Hey, if there’s a spot, I’d love to be here,’ and it worked out that way,” Plumlee said. “So I feel fortunate that they took a chance on me coming off of injury. It’s a blessing.”
