Sources: Champagnie to ink new deal with Spurs

San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie intends to sign a new three-year, $45 million contract with the franchise through 2028-29, sources told ESPN on Monday. The Spurs declined Champagnie's $3 million team option to give him a new deal. Champagnie's agents, Nick Blatchford and Derek Jackson, put the final touches on a deal with San Antonio executives with a unique structure that gets him paid early, includes $42 million in new money and provides the Spurs some flexibility. The 6-foot-7 forward has provided floor-spacing and leadership around Victor Wembanyama and the team's talented guards. The agreement comes on Champagnie's 25th birthday. Champagnie averaged career highs in minutes (27.6), points (11.1) and rebounds (5.8) in addition to playing 82 games for the second straight season. The sharpshooter also set a franchise single-season record with 195 3-pointers. Champagnie went undrafted in 2022 out of St. John's University, where he earned recognition on the All-Big East first team as a sophomore and junior after averaging 16.0 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.6 steals. Champagnie entered the league on a two-way deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, who waived him in 2023 to make room on the roster to sign eventual dunk contest winner Mac McClung. San Antonio claimed Champagnie two days later, and he has since started in 156 games for the Spurs over the past three seasons. ESPN's Michael C. Wright contributed to this report.