For the first time since 2015, Harrison Barnes came off the bench. The long-time starter seemed to rediscover his shooting rhythm in the role, although Mitch Johnson insists that the change might not be permanent.
The San Antonio Spurs are fully healthy for the first time all season and have a bit of a logjam on the wings.
Keldon Johnson is a Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner and will not enter the starting lineup anytime soon, which seems to suit him just fine. However, Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, and Julian Champagnie have all started at times this season, and with Vassell back from injury, the Spurs have to pick two of those guys to start alongside De'Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Victor Wembanyama.
Champagnie, who is on the cheapest contract of the trio, seemed like an obvious candidate to come off the bench. However, on Saturday, the Spurs had Barnes play with the second unit for the first time in over ten years.
Mitch Johnson Explains Spurs' Lineup Change
This season, the Spurs boast the third-ranked defense in the league and the second-best record in the Western Conference. However, with Wembanyama only a league-average shooter and Fox and Castle both lacking, the Spurs need some firepower on the wings to make up for those shortcomings.
So far, it hasn't gone great, as the Spurs shoot 34.7% from deep as a team, good for 22nd in the league.
A big reason for their poor numbers has been thanks to Harrison Barnes. A consummate pro, he has long been one of the better shooters in the league. However, this season he is shooting 36.5% from deep, on par with league average, and has been dreadful since the New Year, going 26.7% in the first 14 games of 2026.
With Vassell fully healthy, the Spurs finally opted to move Barnes to the bench, making Champagnie the fifth starter.
"We've had a lot of guys in and out of the lineup, and so it was just something as much of trying to get Devin back into his role," explained Mitch Johnson. "Devin, the last couple of games, didn't quite find his rhythm, and thought maybe just getting him back to that starting lineup could maybe get him back in that fold."
Johnson was quick to make it clear that Barnes, who shot a solid three-of-five from deep in his first bench game since 2015, shouldn't take the demotion personally.
"I think us making a lineup change isn't a big deal," he added. "I think Harrison Barnes starting for as long as he has is a big deal, and that's a testament to him and all his time and work in production."