Julian Champagnie is giving the Spurs a sleeper Sixth Man of the Year candidate

Things are trending in the right direction for the San Antonio Spurs, especially Julian Champagnie, who is shining in his new role off the bench. He's averaging 10.1 points per game on 44% shooting and a blistering 43% from beyond the arc. The fifth-year forward has been a serious sleeper for the Sixth Man of the Year Award.

During the playoffs, Champagnie was one of the most important players in the Spurs' starting lineup. His floor-spacing ability helped them open games strong and was a huge part of their run to the NBA Finals.

But Dylan Harper was a force off the bench, emerging as a reliable shot-creator on that stage as a rookie. This prompted Mitch Johnson to start him this season, pushing Champagnie into a sixth-man role. Fortunately, he's embraced those new duties and has remained a valuable piece of this Spurs offense.

Champagnie's shooting is still one of the Spurs' best offensive weapons

The Spurs have been great offensively at the start of the season, and Champagnie's shooting has been a big reason behind that. He's been an immediate contributor off the bench, using his gravity to open up driving lanes for players like Harper, Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and others.

Champagnie's not just standing out on the three-point line, waiting for the ball to find him. He's also flying across the floor, setting screens for teammates or using screens to get himself open for efficient looks.

This season, he's had his fair share of big games off the bench. A few weeks ago, he torched the Sacramento Kings for 26 points and drained eight of his thirteen attempts from beyond the arc. So far, he's had five games with three or more long-range makes.

He's one of the NBA's most valuable sixth men with his ability to come into games and immediately boost the Spurs' offense. If their starting five gets off to a slow start, Mitch Johnson can rely on his floor-spacing and shooting prowess to help the team get back on track.

Champagnie is continuing an important trend for the Spurs

Last season, the Spurs had to make room for their young players to thrive, which forced Harrison Barnes to move from starting to coming off the bench. He unselfishly embraced that new role. Keldon Johnson averaged 20 as a starter in 2022-23, but has been on the bench for years now, and performed so well that he won the Sixth Man of the Year award.

Champagnie is in a similar situation. Harper was so good in the playoffs as a shot creator and downhill driver that it became blatantly obvious he deserved to start for the Spurs. This pushed Jules to the bench, but like Johnson, he's accepted those duties and remains a vital piece to this team.

This is yet another example of the Spurs' culture of unselfishness. So many players are willing to sacrifice and blend into different roles so the team can prosper as a whole. Champagnie's been doing that at a high level this season, and it's made him a strong candidate for that award.

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