The San Antonio Spurs kicked off NBA free agency on Monday, June 29, signing both Harrison Barnes and Julian Champagnie to new deals.
Heading into the offseason, fans expected the Spurs to extend Champagnie. He set the franchise record with 195 made 3-pointers this season and cemented himself as a key role player and floor-spacer. The Spurs declined his $3 million team option for next season, instead signing him to a three-year, $45 million contract.
Barnes, unlike Champagnie, was an unrestricted free agent. He made $19 million last season, although his declining role and advancing age made it hard to command that much on the open market. For $8 million, he will return to San Antonio for one last season.
While neither move was splashy and both were about what fans should have expected, it was the perfect kick-off to what will hopefully be a very productive offseason.
Why Spurs’ Free Agent Moves Were A Great Start to Summer
Even after making the NBA Finals, the Spurs have a long summer ahead of them. Sure, we’re just about to start July, but the dog days are still on the way.
We have free agency, offseason trades, Summer League, and training camp to look forward to. Plus, Victor Wembanyama might disappear to the far corners of the Earth for the second summer in a row.
Re-signing both Barnes and Champagnie is just the start, but it couldn’t have gone better for the Spurs.
Last season, Champagnie shot 38.1 percent from 3-point range and increased it to 39.6 percent in the postseason. Barnes, meanwhile, was at 38.8 percent, and he did decline in the playoffs, although fans will remember “Mr. 100 Percent” making 44.1 percent of his 3s in the first 20 games of the season.
If that’s even close to the version of Barnes the Spurs get–for under half the price–then it’s safe to say that he was a solid pickup. Plus, the Spurs could use a proven veteran in the locker room. Aside from De’Aaron Fox, Barnes is the only one the Spurs have.
It’s fair to say that Champagnie has replaced Barnes as the Spurs’ go-to sharpshooter, and we can hope that Carter Bryant will pass Barnes this season, as well. However, his new contract is easily tradeable, and with his lower salary, having him sit on the bench isn’t exactly a waste of money.
Off the court, these deals couldn’t be better for San Antonio. Champagnie’s contract is frontloaded, meaning he will get paid less as the seasons go on. That gives the Spurs the chance to retain some flexibility as Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper approach their rookie extensions.
Barnes, meanwhile, will be off the books next summer. Depending on how the season goes, maybe Brian Wright makes him another offer, but either way, the Spurs will be in control.
It’s safe to say that both deals were structured with the future in mind, but with the hope that both players will have a key role in the 2027 playoff push.
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