After becoming a free agent at the end of the 2020-21 NBA season, Bismack Biyombo remained without a team for more than half a year. On January 1, 2022, the Congolese signed a 10-day contract with the Phoenix Suns. He was taken as a replacement of their center, Deandre Ayton, who entered the health & safety protocols around Christmas.
Biyombo played his first game for the Suns on January 2; a day after getting acquired by them. He put up 11 points on 5-7 shooting from the field for the final victory, 99-133. The center added 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block throughout his time on court.
In his second game as a substitution of Deandre Ayton, Biyombo simply erupted. He finished off with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. The center helped his team get the win in the end, 110-123. With this performance, he cemented his legacy as a fantastic player on both ends of the court.
With this win, the Phoenix Suns remain in 2nd place in the Western Conference. However, they are still battling neck and neck with the Warriors for the top spot. The team from Arizona holds a 29-8 record which is more than enough for them to sit back and relax and not be concerned about making the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
Biyombo had a long career in the NBA as he was selected in the 2011 Draft by the Sacramento Kings. He was then traded to the Charlotte Bobcats with whom he spent 4 years in the League. After getting a lot of minutes in his first two seasons, Biyombo was left off the court for the biggest part of 2013-14 and 2014-15.
In 2015, he got traded to the Toronto Raptors with whom he achieved his biggest NBA success. The Canadian team finished off in 2nd place in the East, setting a new franchise record (56-26). They went on to defeat the Indiana Pacers and the Miami Heat in two highly intense 7-game series. Biyombo and the Raptors were then eliminated in the Conference Finals by LeBron James and the Cavs, 2-4. In Game 3, the Congolese set a Playoffs franchise record for Toronto with 26 rebounds.
However, Biyombo was then traded to the Orlando Magic where he wasn’t the first choice. In the summer of 2018, he went for his second spell in the Charlotte Hornets. In 2019-20, the Congolese center finished off the season with a career-high 7.4 points per game.
