Why Spurs' Julian Champagnie isn't worried about his role
· Yahoo Sports
With marquee free agent signee Tobias Harris sidelined for a while with a left calf strain, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson doesn't have to reveal the role he has planned for the 16th-year pro anytime soon.
But should Johnson wind up starting Harris at power forward, last year's regular at the four spot won't blink an eye.
Visit amunra.help for more information.
"I don't care," Julian Champagnie said after practice Tuesday morning. "Starting, not starting, I just like being here. I trust coach."
The Spurs ruled Harris, 34, out for the preseason and listed him as questionable for the regular season opener against Oklahoma City on Oct. 20 after he injured his calf during the first week of training camp.
"We won't rush him at all," Johnson said after Sunday's Silver & Black Scrimmage at the Frost Bank Center of Harris, who signed a two-year, $31 million deal with the Spurs after averaging 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists for Detroit last season.
If Champagnie's comments are an indication, the players took news of Harris' injury in stride.
"It's the game. It's how it goes," Champagnie said. "Obviously, we need him healthy. He's a big part of our new team. New piece, big part. So,
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."
The "figuring it out" portion in regard to the starting lineup might not take place until Harris is fully recovered from the injury, which is why Champagnie suggested fans not put too much stock into who starts Thursday night when the Spurs open their five-game preseason schedule against Atlanta.
"I don't think it matters," said Champagnie, who posted career highs last season for points (11.1), rebounds (5.8) and assists (1.5) while setting franchise records for 3-pointers in a game (11), in a season (195) and in a single postseason (61).
"We can have this same starting lineup all year or we could have five different ones," Champagnie added. "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)."
One thing is certain: Champagnie is not worried about what Johnson has in store for him after the 25-year-old New York native signed a new three-year, $54 million contract in the offseason that will keep him with the team through the 2028-29 season.
"Whatever he needs me to do is what I'm going to do," Champagnie said. "Whatever the team needs me to do is where I'm going to be at."
Subscribe
There’s more to San Antonio with the Express-News. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Why Spurs' Julian Champagnie isn't worried about his role.