Champagnie's Future Secured
Spurs Secure Julian Champagnie with New $45M Deal After Breakout Season
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Key Points
1
Spurs defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014, before ultimately losing to the New York Knicks.
2
San Antonio added three frontcourt options in the 2026 NBA Draft: Jayden Quaintance (Kentucky center, No. 20 overall); Trevon Brazile (Arkansas forward); and Maliq Brown (Duke forward), expanding the Spurs' big-man depth.
3
Champagnie originally reached the NBA on a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, was waived after the 2023 trade deadline, and then was claimed by the Spurs, helping him become a core part of the team.
4
The new three-year, $45 million deal carries an annual average of $15 million and is described as aligning with the non-taxpayer midlevel exception.
5
In the 2025-26 season, Champagnie appeared in all 82 regular-season games, starting 68 of them.
The San Antonio Spurs gave Julian Champagnie a birthday present on June 29: a three-year, $45 million contract. The deal locks in the 25-year-old forward through the 2028-29 season, according to NBA.com. It replaces a $3 million team option the Spurs declined to clear the way for the bigger deal.
The signing caps a remarkable run for Champagnie. He played all 82 regular-season games this year, posting 11.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. He then helped San Antonio reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014, before the Spurs fell to the New York Knicks, 4-1, Pounding the Rock reported.
From Waiver Wire Castoff to $45 Million Man
Champagnie's path to a big payday is a classic NBA underdog story. He went undrafted out of St. John's in 2022 and landed with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-way deal. The 76ers waived him in February 2023 to make room for Mac McClung. Two days later, the Spurs claimed him off waivers, Fox San Antonio reported.
What looked like a low-risk depth move turned into a franchise cornerstone. Since joining San Antonio, Champagnie has played 225 regular-season games — first on the team. He also set a Spurs franchise record with 11 three-pointers in a single game on December 31, 2025, per News 4 San Antonio.
A Historic Spurs Season Built Around Champagnie's Consistency
San Antonio finished the 2025-26 regular season with 62 wins. Champagnie was the team's "iron man," starting 68 of 82 games. His 38.1% three-point shooting made him a reliable perimeter threat next to franchise center Victor Wembanyama. In the playoffs, his numbers held up: 11.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game across 23 postseason games.
The Spurs beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games to reach the Finals. Champagnie started Game 7 and played key defensive minutes, according to Yahoo Sports. San Antonio's run ended against the Knicks, with Jalen Brunson winning Finals MVP. Still, it was the franchise's deepest postseason run in over a decade.
The $15M Deal That Keeps San Antonio's Cap Clean
The new contract averages $15 million per year — right at the non-taxpayer midlevel exception. That figure is well below the maximum first-year salary Champagnie could have earned, which cap experts peg at $19.4 million. Pounding the Rock noted that the Spurs structured the deal to keep financial flexibility as Wembanyama approaches his own supermax extension.
Head coach Mitch Johnson made clear how much the team values Champagnie. "Julian's been an integral part of our team defense and rebounding," Johnson said. "He's the type of guy that makes you want to die for him on the court because he gives so much effort." The $45 million deal is the front office backing that up with real money.
New Draft Picks Add Frontcourt Depth Around Champagnie
San Antonio did not stand still after the Finals loss. In the 2026 NBA Draft on June 25, the Spurs added frontcourt pieces to surround their core. They selected Kentucky center Jayden Quaintance at No. 20 overall and Duke forward Maliq Brown — the ACC Defensive Player of the Year — at No. 44, according to NBA.com.
A third pick, Arkansas forward Trevon Brazile, was drafted by San Antonio but then traded to Denver on draft night, per Yahoo Sports. With Champagnie now locked in alongside Wembanyama, De'Aaron Fox, Quaintance, and Brown, the Spurs are building depth on both ends. The goal is clear: go further than the Finals next time.
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