Julian Champagnie's three-point shooting makes him the Spurs' perfect sixth man

When Tobias Harris becomes available for the San Antonio Spurs, there will be some questions about how Mitch Johnson manages rotations. He's got a ton of depth to work with, but Julian Champagnie is the best option to come off the bench first. His floor spacing and chemistry with this team could provide an immediate offensive boost if the starters get off to a slow start.

Champagnie was one of the best shooters—scratch that—the best range shooter for the Spurs last season, draining a franchise-record 195 threes. He carried his dominance beyond the arc into the playoffs, making 2.7 per game and connecting on 39.6% of his attempts.

But given Dylan Harper's growth, it seemed inevitable that Mitch Johnson would thrust him into the starting lineup, leaving Champagnie as the odd man out. That's perfectly fine; he can still make an impact off the bench by giving the offense a quick boost with his long-distance mastery.

Champagnie can help the Spurs recover from slow shooting starts

There's a lot to be excited about for the Spurs' unique three-guard lineup. Harper, De'Aaron Fox, and Stephon Castle will be a lethal force on the floor together with their ability to create offense and compete hard on the defensive end. But there's still a lingering concern: how well do they shoot from distance?

While each is capable of making threes, they've not proven themselves as elite catch-and-shoot threats. So there could be times when they run into a wall offensively if their shots aren't falling, which encourages defenses to sag off and close driving lanes. That's where Chamagnie can be of service.

He can sub in for one of them and provide immediate relief with his ability to punish opponents from long range, acting as a spark plug. Even when he doesn't have the ball, he'll force his man to commit to him, giving more space for teammates to find scoring opportunities.

Champagnie has plenty of chemistry with this team

Champagnie has enough familiarity with players like Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, De'Aaron Fox, and Devin Vassell to come off the bench and be an immediate fit. He spent plenty of time on the floor with them last season.

It's nothing for Mitch Johnson to plug him in next to four other starters. It'd be a bit more difficult with Tobias Harris since he doesn't have as much chemistry with those players. Keldon Johnson should be a no-go as a sixth man since he won't provide the three-point shooting Champagnie does, which is crucial if the first five get off to a slow start.

The Spurs' increased depth and Harper's rapid growth will make things look a bit different for Champagnie. But that doesn't mean he'll make any less of an impact. His long-distance shooting off the bench will be a dangerous weapon for this squad, especially as they continue developing their unique guard trio.

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