Last summer, the San Antonio Spurs locked down Zach Collins and Julian Champagnie, signing them each to contracts that will have them under team control at least through the 2025-26 NBA season.
The thought behind those signings was that Champagnie would continue to be an elite shooter, and Collins would be a floor-spacing big who could either dominate with the second unit or help out Victor Wembanyama in the starting lineup.
So far this season, it looks like both of them hit their ceilings last year and will not show much improvement.
Collins, who was supposed to be able to hit shots from distance, is 0-for-15 from deep since January 26. His shot is shakey, and his rebounding has also decreased, although his passing remains solid.
Champagnie, on the other hand, has been a starter for most of the year as Keldon Johnson has taken over sixth-man duties. He is a reliable 36.8 percent from deep, down from above 40 percent last season, but his steady shot has provided some extra offense with the starting five.
However, his season-high 16 points suggest that he is not much more than a catch-and-shoot threat, and would not see the court very often on a good team.
The Spurs are not a good team, so Collins, in his current state, and Champagnie have both averaged real minutes this season, despite their lack of promise.
While their unofficial first half of this season reveals plenty of weaknesses, there is still faith that they can be rotation pieces throughout their contracts. If Collins, who shot 34.2 percent from deep before this year, can get his shot back, he is still a viable backup center.
Champagnie will not be a starter next year, but his reliable shot and ability to get to the rim suggest that he can be a spark plug off the bench, especially with the departure of Doug McDermott. The Spurs will need shooters off the bench, and a very realistic ceiling for Champagnie is exactly that role.
Fans should be gracious that neither of the two contracts breaks the bank, and if the two players can overcome a rough start to the 2023-24 season, they could be rotational pieces in San Antonio moving forward, although as certain talent, like Dominick Barlow, continues to develop, Champagne and Collins will have come competition for minutes very soon.
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