Player The Refurbished Budget Wine Cellar of Julian Champagnie

[LeBowen]

Couldn't think of a better title, so I just upgraded the ST one.
Any suggestions are welcome, I'd be glad to change it to something more creative.

I'm obviously a fan of his and can be subjective, but I think he's giving other wings a run of their money during this preseason.
He's at 11-19 from 3pt over these 3 games and has looked more comfortable with the ball.
We don't need any advanced playmaking from him, but catch and drive with good decision making for kickout passes can be a nice addition to his game.

Last season he always got the short end of the stick when everyone was available, but other than Barnes he's our only legit wing-sized reliable shooter.
For reference, some stats from last season.

Spurs were 10-6 when Champ played at least 30 minutes, he averaged 16.4ppg, 43% from 3pt on 8.4 attempts.

If we look at the games when he played at least 20 minutes, which should be more in line with his role, Spurs were 24-31, with Champ averaging 11.8ppg, 39% from 3pt on 6.7 attempts.

Another irrelevant fact is that Spurs were 0-10 when he played less than 15 minutes, with half of those losses being before Wemby went down.

Through first 30 games of the season he averaged 29mpg, 12.5 ppg, 37% from 3pt on 7 attempts, then everyone got healthy and Mitch cut his minutes, Champ probably lost confidence and had a big slump.

Obviously he'll never be a high end starter, but this team desperately needs shooting and he's our top3 shooter alongside Barnes and Devin.
If Keldon and Jeremy continue to stink the place up, Champ needs to be ahead of them in the rotation.

 

[Shmurs]

he’s going to have a quality guard on the floor with him at all times this year, which is a first for him. I think he’s looking good this year as a Sam Hauser type. He’ll get open shots. Just needs to earn his place on the court with passable D

 

[LeBowen]

he’s going to have a quality guard on the floor with him at all times this year, which is a first for him. I think he’s looking good this year as a Sam Hauser type. He’ll get open shots. Just needs to earn his place on the court with passable D

He made some interesting points during recent media availability.

He said that KYP (know your personnel) for him is more about his teammates than opposition.
He's fully aware that he's not a creator and that he needs to get in sync with guards.
Also said he's trying to stay close to the ballhandlers because he knows his man won't be the one helping, meaning opposition defense will need longer rotations, making it easier for us.

I think he's solid enough of a defender. Nothing special, but definitely better than Keldon.
And probably better than Devin. Because of size, if nothing else.

To me two of Fox/Harper/Castle with Champ and Barnes on the wings looks like our best lineup on offense.
Just surround two paint penetrators and Wemby with best possible spacing, it's that simple. At least that's how I see things.

 

[OK Computer]

I hope there’s room for all of them. If Keldon has a bounce back year and has finally found how to play the right way, then I think he brings more than Champagnie. But, I’m not even trying to pit these two against each other. I think the one that must go is Vassell since it’s his contract that makes things complicated in the future.

I think my post-Friendship core would look like:
Keldon
Champagnie
DJG
Kornet
And Bryant (if he gets his shit together)

With your big four of: Wemby, Castle, Fox, Harper

Package Vassell, Sochan for future 1sts, for guys we’ll develop to eventually replace the post-Friendship core. Rinse and repeat.

IMO, those are the role players of the future. Hope they can secure them to cap friendly contracts.

 

[LeBowen]

His stock keeps rising, another textbook game.

Would it be realistic for the Spurs to decline his 26-27 $3M option and give him a contract right away to have more cap space in it's latter years?
Instead of 3/10/10/10 we pay him 8.7/8.7/8/8 over 4 years? (just a made up number to make an example)
If his stock rises even more and the extension is bigger, it would be even more money saved in those last couple of years.

 

[scott]

This man looks like our starting 3 to me, especially once Fox is back. The guy in that slot needs to be a low-usage spot up shooter who can play decent D. That's Julian.

 

[spurraider21]

This man looks like our starting 3 to me, especially once Fox is back. The guy in that slot needs to be a low-usage spot up shooter who can play decent D. That's Julian.

Yeah especially if we want Castles defense in the starting unit… even less use for a ballhandler.

I just don’t know what it would take for Mitch to actually bench Devin

 

[Fabbs]

Couldn't think of a better title, so I just upgraded the ST one.
Any suggestions are welcome, I'd be glad to change it to something more creative.

I'm obviously a fan of his and can be subjective, but I think he's giving other wings a run of their money during this preseason.
He's at 11-19 from 3pt over these 3 games and has looked more comfortable with the ball.
We don't need any advanced playmaking from him, but catch and drive with good decision making for kickout passes can be a nice addition to his game.

Through first 30 games of the season he averaged 29mpg, 12.5 ppg, 37% from 3pt on 7 attempts, then everyone got healthy and Mitch cut his minutes, Champ probably lost confidence and had a big slump.

Obviously he'll never be a high end starter, but this team desperately needs shooting and he's our top3 shooter alongside Barnes and Devin.
If Keldon and Jeremy continue to stink the place up, Champ needs to be ahead of them in the rotation.

I like the Subject title.

And tonight. Boom. Champ was strokin treys.

 

[spursparker9]

I am convinced to start Champ. If Vassell is hot as well, we have two 3 points specialists bombing away

 

[ambchang]

Been arguing champagne is the ideal SF next to wemby since early last year. He should’ve started over Vassell.

 

[DTW]

Bucks extended Green for 4/$45 million, which is what the Celtics extended Hauser for last off season.

Probably templates for Champagnie next off season, when the Spurs will probably decline his $3 million team option and lock him up long term.

 

[spurraider21]

Bucks extended Green for 4/$45 million, which is what the Celtics extended Hauser for last off season.

Probably templates for Champagnie next off season, when the Spurs will probably decline his $3 million team option and lock him up long term.

well, the team option gives them leverage. but if they do value him at 11-12 mil per year, what they could basically do is "extend" him, adding 3 years, 35 mil to his deal, so the whole thing would become 4/38. maybe you just round it up to 4/40 to get it done. once you have that agreed to in principle, they decline the team option and sign him to those terms. have to do it that way since theres a limit to how much he could get via an actual extension

but the difference is, both Hauser and AJ Green have shot 40+ from 3 in every season of their respective careers, while Julian has thus far settled in as a ~37% shooter. he does have more size than them though

 

[buttsR4rebounding]

I’ve been an advocate of extending him and declining his 4th year since last season. That will be a great value contract. I think our best starting lineup will be Fox-Wemby-Olynyk-Champ-Vassel/Castle. If Castle’s 3 pt shot has improved enough it’s him.

 

[CGD]

The title name reminds me of my post college years and loading up of Trader Joe’s “Three Buck Chuck” bargain wines (if you know, you know). A good “value” wine that rounds out a B- homecooked meal, hopefully lets you impress a young lady enough to keep the night going, while also allowing you to dream of what could be once you start making a little more money.

Sounds pretty Julian Champagne-like to me, tbqh imo

 

[Paramore]

 

[Guru of Nothing]

He has to start, right?

 

[spursistan]

Good value for the money, but we really should improve on a Dollar-store Danny Green. Champ is not a starter for a playoffs-caliber team in this league..

 

[Ice009]

Just watched the game and my biggest problem was Julian. Why is this guy always playing in crunch time? He makes mistakes, turns it over, steps out of bounds. Tonight missed free throws. This guy is not a starter or a finishing lineup kind of guy. Yes, I know the Spurs had players foul out in this game, but he gets played way too much in big moments.

 

[Quentin_Compson]

I agree that a player like Champagnie who is largely a play-finisher should not have 4 TOs (zero assists, by the way) in a closely contested game.

 

[RC_Drunkford]

Just watched the game and my biggest problem was Julian. Why is this guy always playing in crunch time? He makes mistakes, turns it over, steps out of bounds. Tonight missed free throws. This guy is not a starter or a finishing lineup kind of guy. Yes, I know the Spurs had players foul out in this game, but he gets played way too much in big moments.

3 players out with injury, 3 players fouled out. Leaves you with 9 players of whom 1 is Biyombo. That means you got 8 players left and have to play 5. I don't mind one of them being Champagnie at that point. McLaughlin is definitely not the right player when you need a lay up with 0.4 seconds to go.

 

[Ice009]

3 players out with injury, 3 players fouled out. Leaves you with 9 players of whom 1 is Biyombo. That means you got 8 players left and have to play 5. I don't mind one of them being Champagnie at that point. McLaughlin is definitely not the right player when you need a lay up with 0.4 seconds to go.

Fair enough for this game, but I feel Mitch probably would have played him anyway even if there were more guys available, or do you think he wouldn't have?

Edit : Disregard what I said about going for a three. For whatever reason, I kept thinking there is 0.6 seconds left, not 0.4.

 

[spursparker9]

Just watched the game and my biggest problem was Julian. Why is this guy always playing in crunch time? He makes mistakes, turns it over, steps out of bounds. Tonight missed free throws. This guy is not a starter or a finishing lineup kind of guy. Yes, I know the Spurs had players foul out in this game, but he gets played way too much in big moments.

Because he space the floor like Matt Bonner and Bryn Fores

 

[Shmurs]

Just one of many on this team who struggles with processing. Seizes up and short circuits when he’s not doing basic things.

 

[flox]

Fair enough for this game, but I feel Mitch probably would have played him anyway even if there were more guys available, or do you think he wouldn't have?

Edit : Disregard what I said about going for a three. For whatever reason, I kept thinking there is 0.6 seconds left, not 0.4.

Considering he was actually able to get open last night on the last play unlike the others, I can see why the team trusts him in that situation. Sure maybe he is open for a reason, but given the size and shooting what are the better options?

 

[Unseen]

He's a good player to have on a roster but He should never be more then a shooting punch off of the bench for a competitive NBA team.