3 Spurs players who have no room for error in Popovich's rotation this season

The future is bright in San Antonio and fans are excited to see what the 2024-2025 season has in store. For some players though, they might not be as delighted, instead, they could be worried about losing their role on the team.

With a Spurs roster that is seemingly getting more crowded after two recent signings, some current players are on the hot seat. Coach Gregg Popovich is a wizard at putting the right players in the right position to be successful. However, if he does not see much potential in a certain player, he will not give them playing time and eventually force them out of San Antonio.

Let's dive in and highlight three players who are in jeopardy of losing playing time and cannot afford to fumble this season.

3. Julian Champagnie

Julian Champagnie is an unorthodox basketball player. He can create his shot, he uses his long arms to defend well, and at times, Champagnie can excel when attacking the basket. The former St. Johns star has a fair shooting stroke as well.

Champagnie first burst on the scene in 2022 after a standout stint in the summer league. He continued that success the very next summer. Champagnie played well enough to sign a 4-year, 12-million-dollar deal and a spot on the team last season. After having a consistent bench role, Champagnie averaged 7 points a game while shooting 39% from the floor and a superb 87% from the free-throw line.

By the numbers, Champagnie can be a fair bench option for the Spurs however, with the Spurs having more weapons on the team, this hurts Champagnie's chances to get playing time. The drafting of Harrison Ingram and the recent signing of Brandon Boston Jr (roster spot TBD) also prove that Champagnie has his back against the wall. The three players will battle for the backup small forward role behind Devin Vassell but Ingram and Boston Jr are far better athletically, giving them the edge.

Champagnie, if given play time, has to stand out above the rest, coming off the bench. Keldon Johnson and Zach Collins are likely the first two bench options going forward; however, Champagnie's consistency levels can push him to gain a bigger role. As a result, while surprising, Champagnie has one of the toughest hurdles to leapfrog on the whole team.