The first domino has fallen for the Spurs in free agency, and it’s a move we all saw coming. Today (June 29) is the deadline for the early termination of contracts, and as predicted, the Spurs have used it to decline the team option on Julian Champagnie’s contract to re-sign him to a longer deal. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Champagnie will sign a new three-year, $45 million deal with the Spurs, which lasts through the 2028-29 season.
This is quite the steal for a starting-caliber forward who can defend and consistently shot around 40% from deep in both the regular season and playoffs for a Finals team. Champagnie appeared in all 82 games for the Spurs for the second straight season, starting in 68 of them and eventually becoming a full-time starter, superceding Harrison Barnes in the rotation. He averaged 11.1 points on 38% from three, 5.8 rebouds and 1.5 assists in the regular season. He shot even better in the playoffs, scoring 11.2 points per game on 40% from three.
The new deal is not just well deserved, but it’s also a continuation of his very Spursian story. Originally undrafted out of St. John’a University, he signed a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers in the summer of 2022. He hardly played for them at all before he was waived in February to make room for Philly to sign Mac McClung entirely so he could represent them in the Dunk Contest at All-Star weekend, just to then waive him too.
This deal puts Champagnie in Spurs lore as one of their classic cases of players being cast off by their prior teams, just for the Spurs to pick them up off the scrap heaps and make others regret missing out. He arguably could have demanded more from the Spurs or on the open market, so the fact that he accept such a team-friendly deal suggests he values winning and feels a sense of loyalty to the Spurs for believing in him.
Free agency officially begins tomorrow at 5:00 PM, when teams can begin talking to other teams’ free agents. The morotorium period lasts until July 6, and that’s when Champagnie will be able to put pen to paper on his new deal. Other news to watch for, beyond the Spurs signing any new free agents, with be Victor Wembanyama’s rookie contract extension and the Spurs picking up the rookie options on Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant (although they technically have until October 31 to get that done).
In the meantime, welcome back, Julian! It’s as if you never left.
