Spurs sign ex-Chris Paul teammate

The San Antonio Spurs are giving Chris Paul some of his old Phoenix vibes back.

Veteran NBA writer Chris Haynes reported on Saturday that the Spurs are signing free agent center Bismack Biyombo. The 32-year-old Biyombo will be getting a 10-day contract from San Antonio, Haynes adds.

Biyombo was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and gained a reputation for his burly interior defense, despite only being 6-foot-8. He made it to the conference finals as a member of the Toronto Raptors in 2016 (going viral for his great antics that year) and also went on multiple playoff runs with the Phoenix Suns during his time there from 2021-23. Biyombo overlapped in Phoenix with Paul, the current Spurs guard.

While Biyombo had been unsigned to this point of the NBA season, he averaged 4.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game last season between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Spurs are in need of a new backup center behind star Victor Wembanyama after trading away former lottery pick Zach Collins as a part of the blockbuster deal that brought All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox to San Antonio. Fellow big Charles Bassey is currently out with a knee injury too, so the 13-year NBA veteran Biyombo will be asked to step in off the bench for the 22-27 Spurs, who are currently 12th in the West.