Julian Champagnie’s Shooting Woes and the Spurs’ Need for Consistent Spacing
Key Takeaways:
- Julian Champagnie was envisioned as a key 3-and-D player for the Spurs, but his shooting performance has been inconsistent and below expectations.
- The Spurs’ overall three-point shooting efficiency has declined, raising concerns about their ability to provide adequate spacing for Victor Wembanyama.
- Champagnie’s preseason performance suggested a breakout year, but his regular-season shooting percentage has fallen significantly.
- The Spurs need Champagnie and other shooters to improve their consistency to alleviate defensive pressure on Wembanyama and unlock the team’s offensive potential.
Julian Champagnie arrived in San Antonio with a clear objective: to establish himself as a reliable 3-and-D specialist. While his defensive effort has been a bright spot, arguably the best fans have seen from him in a Spurs uniform, his shooting has been a significant disappointment. His performance has been akin to flashes of brilliance followed by extended periods of invisibility, leaving much to be desired in terms of consistency and impact.
Heading into the season, a major question mark surrounding the Spurs was their ability to provide sufficient spacing for rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama to thrive offensively. Early games suggested promise, but the team has since slipped from the top ten in three-point efficiency, currently ranking 15th in the league. This regression validates pre-season concerns about their shooting capabilities. However, there is still ample time for them to turn things around, though whether they will remains to be seen.
The Spurs are heavily relying on Champagnie to find consistency from beyond the arc. His impressive preseason performance, where he shot a blistering 50% from three-point range, fueled optimism that he was poised for a career year. Some even envisioned him evolving into a modern-day version of beloved Spurs champion Danny Green. However, his current regular-season shooting percentage of 31% tells a different story. While even Green had periods of inconsistency, he first established himself as a reliable shooter, providing several years of consistent 38%-44% shooting for San Antonio.
It’s unfair to solely attribute the Spurs’ shooting struggles to Champagnie. Players like Harrison Barnes have shown signs of improvement, and Keldon Johnson is maintaining a respectable shooting percentage (46%). However, neither have consistently delivered impactful shots during crucial moments. Furthermore, the rest of the roster has largely fallen below league average in three-point shooting. While Jeremy Sochan’s 50% and Lindy Waters III’s perfect 100% (on a small sample size of 2/2) are encouraging, it’s premature to label them as reliable sharpshooters.
Wembanyama has faced relentless defensive pressure, impacting his overall performance. For the Spurs to navigate their upcoming challenges effectively, their shooters must consistently make defenses pay for focusing their attention on the rookie phenom. The upcoming game against the Rockets presents an excellent opportunity to start turning things around and proving that the Spurs can indeed be a threat from beyond the arc. Consistent outside shooting is crucial to opening up the floor for Wembanyama and the rest of the team, allowing them to reach their full offensive potential.
