Julian Champagnie isn’t blinking, even with marquee free agent Tobias Harris sidelined for a while with a left calf strain. This dude, who just inked a huge three-year, $54 million deal this offseason, isn’t about to get caught up in who’s starting or where he slots in. He’s all about the team.
Harris Down, Spurs Shuffle Early
Okay, so here’s the deal: Tobias Harris, the 16th-year pro they just brought in on a two-year, $31 million contract, is out for the preseason. He dinged his calf during the first week of training camp and is questionable for the regular season opener against Oklahoma City on October 20. Coach Mitch Johnson isn’t messing around with rushing him back, saying, “We won’t rush him at all.” Harris, who’s 34, averaged 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists for Detroit last season, so yeah, that’s a big piece missing right out of the gate. Champagnie was the regular starter at power forward last year, and this injury means Johnson doesn’t have to nail down that specific role for Harris anytime soon. It’s a curveball, for sure.
Champagnie’s ‘Whatever It Takes’ Vibe
But if you thought Julian Champagnie was stressed about all this, you’d be wrong. Dead wrong. After practice, he dropped this gem: “I don’t care. Starting, not starting, I just like being here. I trust coach.” Seriously, how many guys on a fresh $54 million contract are that chill about their spot? He gets it though, saying Harris’s injury is “the game. It’s how it goes.” He knows they need Harris healthy because “he’s a big part of our new team.” Champagnie sees the big picture: “We’ll have to just adjust to him not being here and then adjust to him getting back. But throughout the year, I’m sure there’ll be more days like that. We’ll just have to figure it out.”
This dude isn’t just talking the talk, either. Champagnie, the 25-year-old New York native, had a monster season last year, hitting career highs with 11.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. He wasn’t just good, he was record-breaking, setting franchise records for 3-pointers in a game (11), in a season (195), and even in a single postseason (61). That’s insane production! Yet, he’s totally unfazed by the starting lineup drama. “I don’t think it matters,” he said. “We can have this same starting lineup all year or we could have five different ones. To me, it doesn’t matter. It’s not my job to figure out who’s starting, who’s not starting. As players we’re all focused on just one thing and that’s getting guys back to where we were last year (in the Finals).” That’s the kind of dedication you love to see, especially after signing a deal that keeps him with the team through 2028-29. His message is loud and clear: “Whatever he needs me to do is what I’m going to do. Whatever the team needs me to do is where I’m going to be at.”
So yeah, while the Spurs might be doing some early-season figuring out with Harris on the mend, one thing’s crystal clear: Champagnie is locked in. You want to see what this team is made of? The Spurs kick off their five-game preseason schedule Thursday night against Atlanta. You can bet Champagnie will be out there, doing whatever it takes to get them back to where they were last year.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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