Spurs next move is painfully obvious as trade season kicks off

Julian Champagnie signed a four-year, $12 million contract with the San Antonio Spurs in June 2023. At the time, it was a bit confounding. Champagnie was undrafted, played just 17 games his rookie season — and was pretty solid in his limited opportunity — but four years (even at a low average salary) caught some folks by surprise.

Champagnie immediately paid off that deal in 2023-24, becoming a nightly part of the Spurs rotation. Then he got even better last year, playing all 82 games and increasing his volume across the board. This year, Champagnie has elevated once again and has become a vital piece of a Spurs team that has real postseason aspirations. His growth from a playable bench guy to an essential piece of a great Spurs team should make a contract extension a no-brainer.

Champagnie has improved in exactly the way the Spurs hoped he would — if that doesn't earn him a new deal, then I'm not sure what would. With trade season approaching (over 80 players become eligible to be traded this week) rumors will be flying around the league. Locking down Champagnie might take the Spurs off the market for a lot of them, but it would also give them more assurance on the wing for a few years, and that's an important security to have.

A multi-year deal for Champagnie wouldn't be the flashiest move, but it's the easiest one to make as soon as possible. I also don't foresee his value dropping anytime soon. Why not get ahead of the curve and take away any suspense next year when he potentially hits the free agent market?

Spurs need to extend Julian Champagnie to multi-year deal

Few things exemplify why this franchise has been so successful for so long like Champagnie's rise through the ranks. The front office trusted their process and saw something in just a few games from him, and they've been vindicated with how he's produced this season. Why let him walk after his tenure in San Antonio has gone so well?

Plus, I know Champagnie isn't the highest volume player and likely never will be in San Antonio where he's surrounded by stars and future stars... But finding his archetype is not as easy as front offices think it is. Everyone thinks they can find a reliable 3-and-D wing, but there are plenty of teams still looking for help at that exact position.