Daryl Morey’s focus on chasing superstar talent over building depth has hurt the Philadelphia 76ers for years. His impatience with young players has cost the team affordable contributors, with Julian Champagnie becoming the latest example of a previous asset thriving elsewhere. Philadelphia is tied to Paul George’s bumper contract rather than staying patient with younger products.
Julian Champagnie is thriving in San Antonio
There is no denying that the San Antonio Spurs are Victor Wembanyama's team, but his supporting cast has been nothing short of brilliant in their run to the Western Conference Finals. However, it is the work of Julian Champagnie that should make the 76ers cringe with embarrassment. Before Paul George, the 76ers were searching for a versatile scoring wing who could positively impact games. Ironically, they already had one in their 2022 undrafted free agent Champagnie, but let him walk.
Throughout the postseason, Champagnie has played his role to perfection in a majority of the Spurs' matchups. Over 16 games, the former Sixers rookie has averaged 10.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.9 stocks per game, highlighting his two-way presence when on the court.
While his performance levels have dipped during spells of this playoff campaign, when he has been called up, Champagnie has stepped up. Most importantly, the 24-year-old is more than happy to fall in line with whatever tactic the San Antonio head coach Mitch Johnson is deploying.
Some might say, this is exactly the kind of player Paul George has become with the Philadelphia 76ers, so what is the problem? The answer is obvious: money.
Paul George costs significantly more than Champagnie ever would
After his 25-game suspension for breaching the NBA's anti-drug policy, George was in electric form. In fact, he was arguably the 76ers' most effective contributor before their second round exit to the dangerous New York Knicks. The veteran forward recorded 16.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and three assists, while shooting 49.3 percent from deep.
This is the Paul George that the Philadelphia 76ers hoped they were acquiring back in 2024 when they signed him to a four-year, $212 million contract. If this discussion were based purely on George's production, then there is no argument to be had.
Unfortunately, it is not; it is about the lack of foresight—again—from Daryl Morey, who passed on another young talent to commit a large percentage of the 76ers' salary cap to a player with similar numbers.
In contrast, Julian Champagnie signed a four-year, $12 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs in 2023. While he may not offer the same experience or leadership as Paul George, Champagnie’s affordable contract would have given the 76ers greater flexibility to strengthen other areas of the roster—and an easier path to pivot if things did not work out.
Morey repeatedly showed that developing young talent was never his strong suit.
Time and again, those vengeful players have come back to haunt the Philadelphia 76ers. Jared McCain is thriving with the Oklahoma City Thunder, while Julian Champagnie is now competing for a spot in the NBA Finals with the San Antonio Spurs. To make matters worse, had Philadelphia retained Champagnie, the franchise could have potentially saved $200 million in salary cap space.
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