3 Spurs players who have been disappointments to start the season

The San Antonio Spurs have a 3-7 record and are on an extended losing streak after their first ten games of the season. While everyone across their roster must perform better on both ends of the court, several names have let this team down in the early goings of their schedule.

Gregg Popovich has the thankless task of coaching the youngest squad in the NBA, but age is far from the only component stopping the Silver and Black from ascending the standings. With more than enough blame to go around, who has fallen short of expectations in Alamo City?

3.) Julian Champagnie

Julian Champagnie looked like a lock to earn a spot in the regular rotation after his stunning display at the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League. However, the second-year sharpshooter has failed to duplicate a single ounce of the efficient production that persuaded the front office to sign him a four-year contract this offseason.

The 22-year-old forward started misfiring from beyond the arc during the preseason, and those woes have continued across the first five games of his second go-round with San Antonio. Champagnie is 1-of-10 from three, likely one of the main reasons Gregg Popovich shifted him to the backend of the bench over the last week or so.

For someone who was supposed to factor into the youth movement in the 2-1-0, Champagnie has mostly been an afterthought. The Spurs are on an uncomfortable losing streak, and perhaps the coaching staff will call upon his number soon. If not, another stint in Austin could help Julian shake his slump and rediscover a smooth rhythm.

2.) Zach Collins

On paper, Zach Collins has the tools to be a perfect frontcourt partner for Victor Wembanyama. He can match up with bruising centers on the block, space the floor with a dependable three-ball, and deliver accurate passes as one of the best high-post facilitators in the NBA. However, the reality is those traits have failed to materialize consistently.

The seven-footer has attempted almost four three-pointers per game, but Collins has only buried 27% of those looks, a career-worst mark. His entry passes to the Parisian phenom have been off target. And his pick-and-roll defense has suffered because of the low-grade screen navigation from an abundance of his teammates at the point of attack.

Opponents have outscored San Antonio by 9.3 points per 100 possessions when Collins and Wembanyama share the floor, a somewhat discouraging margin considering their theoretical synergy. On the bright side, the Spurs are less than an eighth into their regular season schedule, and Coach Pop has time to figure out how to get them on the same page.

1.) Keldon Johnson

Lightening the offensive load for Keldon Johnson was one of the potential benefits of securing Wembanyama with the number one overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. His shift to a lower spot in the pecking order has brought promising playmaking flashes out of the fifth-year forward, but the rest of his repertoire has been disappointing through ten games.

Johnson floundered from beyond the arc during his maiden voyage as the de facto go-to scorer for a tanking team last season, and he has nailed an appalling 31.4% of his 51 three-point attempts despite moving into a more favorable role as a complimentary option. Could Keldon flip the script? No doubt, but his ice-cold shooting isn't the only problem.

Perhaps the most troubling issue for the 24-year-old slasher has been his reckless decision-making in the clutch. He has often tried to be a hero for the Spurs when matchups come down to the wire, and he has notched 16 points, one assist, two turnovers, and five fouls while making 29.4% of his 17 shots in crunch time. It might be time for him to defer.