The San Antonio Spurs could bolster their rebounding and shooting ahead of the NBA trade deadline, all while making a current player very happy.
The San Antonio Spurs have been linked to several big-name players in trade rumors this season, although, in true Silver and Black fashion, most expect them to stand pat or make a smaller move.
However, Jeremy Sochan seems fed up with his smaller role this year and is expected to demand a trade sooner rather than later. Of course, his salary and limited talents prevent him from being the centerpiece in a trade for a superstar, although he could be included as part of a bigger deal.
With Sochan on the way out, the most likely deal seems to be the Spurs flipping him for a cheap player who they could use off the bench. This season, Keldon Johnson is by far their best bench player, but they could add a familiar face to their second unit.
Spurs Could Target Justin Champagnie
Twin brother of Spurs' wing Julian Champagnie, Justin was also an undrafted player, although he attended the University of Pittsburgh for two years. He has spent time with the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, and Washington Wizards, and is averaging 7.1 points and 5.7 rebounds, mostly off the bench, this season.
A straight-up swap of Sochan for Champagnie would work, and it would give the Spurs added bench shooting and rebounding. Julian is a sneaky-good rebounder for his size, and when he comes off the floor, his brother could take his spot.
Justin's statlines are not as impressive as Julian's, although a big part of that could be the fact that his Wizards have long been one of the worst teams in the NBA. Instead of being the sixth man on a putrid Washington team, he could be the eighth or ninth man (behind Johnson, Dylan Harper, and Luke Kornet) on a very good team.
Sochan, meanwhile, would get a much bigger role and could serve as the defensive anchor for a rebuilding Wizards' team. As Washington goes all-in on Trae Young, adding cutters and defenders should be a priority. Sochan can excel at both.
Would Justin be a core member of the Spurs? He has two seasons left on his contract to prove his worth, and like his brother, he is criminally underpaid, providing the Spurs with some value at the wing position. As the Spurs prepare to move on from Sochan and Harrison Barnes plays himself out of the rotation, adding Justin (36.1% from 3 over the last two seasons) seems to be an easy call.