Dylan Harper makes another start, scores nine

Champagnie started 68 regular-season games last season, finishing with career-best averages in points, rebounds, assists, steals and three-pointers. Offseason signing Tobias Harris (calf) has yet to play this preseason, and the same can be said for De’Aaron Fox (undisclosed soreness). With those two veterans out, Champagnie has kept his starting spot without fuss. Does that remain the case once Harris and Fox are healthy enough to play? The answer will affect Champagnie’s fantasy ceiling, as he’s a late-round option at best in most leagues.

De’Aaron Fox was unavailable for Thursday’s exhibition, so Harper started. The second-year guard played well in 19 minutes, shooting well and committing no turnovers. Even if he’s asked to come off the bench again this season, Harper can provide top-100 fantasy value. At a minimum, his playing time should increase, as he averaged 22.6 minutes per game as a rookie.

Instead of simply exercising his option worth $3 million, the Spurs have rewarded Champagnie handsomely with a new contract. Appearing in all 82 regular-season games, starting 68, the 6-foot-7 wing averaged 11.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.4 three-pointers, shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 84.4 percent from the foul line. While the Spurs did add more size via the draft, selecting Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr., Champagnie should still figure prominently in the team’s rotation next season.

Harper was San Antonio’s best player in Game 5, and his lack of opportunities in the fourth quarter contributed to the Spurs’ inability to hold off the Knicks. A similar scenario occurred in Game 4, and Harper is the first rookie since Richard Dumas in 1993 to record consecutive 20-point games. After the defeat, teammate Devin Vassell said that there were times during the season when Harper was frustrated with his playing time. Given how well he played during San Antonio’s run to the Finals, minutes should not be a concern for Harper in 2026-27. Don’t be surprised if he breaks out next season.

Harper logged another impactful performance on San Antonio’s bench in Game 4. He led the team with a plus-12 rating and finished as one of two Spurs players with 20 or more points. The rookie recorded double-digit points in six consecutive playoff games at the conclusion of Wednesday’s game. He continues to log heavy minutes and will likely see another heavy workload on Saturday.

The rookie has been incredible throughout the postseason, though he wasn’t able to match his shooting efficiency in this game. It was a rough shooting night for Harper, but that didn’t prevent the Spurs from securing their first win of the series. He’s been important to the team’s success, which isn’t common for a 20-year-old in the NBA Finals. The volume will increase as he ages, which should lead to some incredible fantasy seasons. For now, he’ll look to make an impact in his role as the series continues on Thursday.

Castle appeared to injure his right leg during the second half of Game 2 on Friday. While he did exit the game shortly after the tweak, the second-year guard was back on the court in the fourth quarter as the Spurs rallied. Based on Castle’s comments on Sunday, he should be a full go for Game 3 as the Spurs look to cut the Knicks’ 2-0 lead in half. “It’s been feeling good,” Castle said. “It feels a lot better than I thought it would initially. Obviously, I had some adrenaline running, kind of once I settled down, I started to feel it. Waking up the next day, actually felt really good.” Castle was not listed on the injury report released by the Spurs on Sunday afternoon, so he’ll take on his usual starting role.

Champagnie’s impact can be seen by splitting Wednesday’s contest into two halves. In the first half, he sank five threes, including one to beat the buzzer before halftime, to tally 15 points and nearly a team-best plus-9 rating. But after halftime, he went 0-of-5 from the field, produced one point, and was tied for a team-worst minus-17 rating. A more consistent game may have prevented San Antonio from completely squandering a 14-point lead. Yet, Champagnie continues to shoot the three well of late, and will have another opportunity to produce from beyond the arc on Friday in Game 2.

Champagnie came through with his second 20-point game of the Western Conference Finals, helping the Spurs clinch their first NBA Finals trip in 12 years. Shooting 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, the Spurs’ forward knocked down key shots at key times, including one triple that extended San Antonio’s lead to 11 with 5:33 remaining in the fourth quarter. Champagnie and the Spurs will host the Knicks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday.

Harper’s 18 points in 22 minutes off the bench were absolutely crucial for the Spurs in Game 6. The 20-year-old guard scored more points than any individual player on the Thunder. Harper continues to impress with his play in the playoffs as he’s played beyond his years. Saturday’s Game 7 on the road will surely be his most difficult test yet.