Julian Champagnie could make the jump from useful to an indispensable Spurs piece

Julian Champagnie had the second-highest net on/off rating (+8.5) on the Spurs' roster last year. This isn't a player who needs to reinvent himself, as he's doing exactly what San Antonio needs from a complementary forward.

The next step is simply becoming more reliable at those same things. If the St. John alum turns his shooting into a truly elite weapon while holding up better to physicality, his stock will skyrocket like the space-bound ship in Project Hail Mary. All of a sudden, he becomes a piece that the Silver and Black can't afford to lose.

Champagnie already has the perfect role for San Antonio

Juju's job is simple: space the floor, move without the ball, defend, rebound, and capitalize when defenses ignore him. He did all of those things pretty damn well, and while he's not discussed as part of SA's young core, the former 76er is only 25 years old. There's still plenty of room for him to grow.

He shot 38% from three in 2025-26 and hit 39.6% in the playoffs. The Spurs would love to see that postseason number during an 82-game odyssey. Champ has shown he can get hot and produce big scoring nights without needing the offense designed around him.

That makes him an ideal partner for Victor Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper. Every one of those paint destroyers needs the space that Champagnie provides. Leaning into that dependence will make him invaluable to San Antonio.

One more leap could make Champagnie impossible to replace

The Spurs don't have a single rotational player shoot 40% from three for the season. They were solid as a team, especially over the last two months of the campaign, but there wasn't a consistent sniper striking real fear in opponents for the full year. Champ can change that, dramatically increasing his value.

While he's increasing his efficiency from distance, he could also add some muscle to help him absorb contact when he's guarding bigger wings and forwards.

And continuing to rebound and finish efficiently when he's run off the line keeps him from becoming too one-dimensional.

If all three of these things happen, Champagnie becomes the ideal championship role player. Adding truly dangerous efficiency, improving his defense and rebounding, and doing the dirty work turn him from a good role player into a necessary one that the Spurs need to keep for as long as possible.

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