After playing with the Hornets for 129 games in parts of two seasons with the team, Charlotte re-signed their former center last summer in hopes of using him as a depth piece and a steady locker room presence. Unfortunately for Plumlee, he didn’t see the floor as much as he probably hoped due to the stellar play from young centers Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner. Additionally, Plumlee suffered a groin injury that required surgery and effectively ended his time with the team before he could recover, as a trade at the deadline sent him to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In 14 appearances for Charlotte during the year, Plumlee averaged 1.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.4 steals in 8.9 minutes per game. Plumlee’s shooting efficiency was strong, sticking to close-range attempts and averaging a high field goal percentage as a result (75%). While none of these numbers were enough to make the Hornets keep him, his intangible value shouldn’t be ignored, especially considering the great development of Diabate and Kalkbrenner. Not to mention, Plumlee had ties to two other rookies (Kon Knueppel and Sion James), as each of them went to the same alma mater (Duke). Currently, Plumlee is playing for an NBA title with the San Antonio Spurs after being waived by the Thunder following the trade.
Overall grade: B-
This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Hornets 2025-26 player grades: Mason Plumlee