Sacramento, California: Kings Sign Veteran Center Mason Plumlee to Fill Roster Spot

The Sacramento Kings announced on Wednesday that they have signed free agent center Mason Plumlee, adding a veteran big man to a frontcourt that has been thinned by injuries in the first weeks of the season. ESPN's Shams Charania first reported the deal, after Plumlee's agents, Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman of Priority Sports, told ESPN that he was signing with Sacramento.

The signing fills the roster spot that opened when general manager Scott Perry traded second-year guard Nique Clifford to the Oklahoma City Thunder for multiple second-round picks. Sports Illustrated reported that the Kings had two weeks after the trade to sign a player to a standard contract to reach the 14-player minimum, and that the Plumlee deal gets them to that threshold.

A frontcourt hit by injuries

Sacramento needed healthy bodies at center. Precious Achiuwa suffered a left lower-leg contusion during Tuesday's 107-100 loss to the Orlando Magic at Golden 1 Center, NBC Sports Bay Area reported. Maxime Raynaud has yet to appear this season after suffering a right patellar subluxation in the preseason, Sactown Sports reported.

Starting center Domantas Sabonis did not play the closing minutes on Tuesday night after left knee soreness, the same knee he had surgery on last season to repair a torn meniscus, according to Sactown Sports. Reserve center Dylan Cardwell missed the first seven games with a left calf strain and has been active for the last four. Plumlee gives head coach Doug Christie an experienced option behind Sabonis while the younger big men get healthy.

What Plumlee brings to Sacramento

Plumlee, 36, is a former Duke player who was drafted 22nd overall by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2013 NBA Draft. Sacramento will be his ninth NBA team, after Brooklyn, Portland, Denver, Detroit, Charlotte, the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix and San Antonio, according to Sactown Sports.

His best years came in the late 2010s, when he averaged around 10 points and 8 rebounds a game with Portland and Denver, Sports Illustrated reported. Last season he split time between Charlotte and San Antonio, appearing in 20 games with three starts and averaging 1.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 8.6 minutes a game, NBC Sports Bay Area reported. Over 13 career seasons, he has averaged 7.9 points on 59.6 percent shooting, with 6.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 21.6 minutes across 880 regular-season games.

The contract and what comes next

Plumlee will be on a rest-of-season non-guaranteed contract, Sports Illustrated reported. The deal will show up as $2,139,724 on Sacramento's cap sheet, and the guarantee date is January 10. Sacramento would need to waive him by January 7 so that he clears waivers by January 10 for the money to come off the cap sheet. The signing leaves the Kings roughly $4.2 million below the luxury tax, and the 15th roster spot remains open.

Sacramento hosts the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night at Golden 1 Center, the first game on the schedule after the signing.