Getty Julian Champagnie #2 of the St. John's Red Storm.
While the Philadelphia 76ers did not make any selections during the NBA Draft, they did not walk away empty-handed. First, Daryl Morey executed a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for guard De’Anthony Melton. After the second round concluded, the Sixers went on to sign a pair of undrafted prospects.
Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice reported the Sixers agreed to terms on a two-way deal with Julian Champagnie. He is a six-foot-eight forward who entered the draft after three seasons at St. John’s. In his final year of college, Champagnie averaged 19.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.0 SPG, and 1.1 BPG.
Shams Charania of The Athletic also reported the team signed Michael Foster Jr. to a free-agent deal. He is also a six-foot-eight forward but spent the past year playing with G-League Ignite. This past season, Foster Jr. posted averages of 14.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG, and 2.2 BPG.
Stacking up on Wing Depth
Looking at these two signings, it’s clear the Sixers had a specific type of player archetype they were eyeing. With Danny Green on his way to Memphis, the roster desperately needs an influx of wings.
One key area Champagnie and Foster Jr. should provide a lift is rebounding. This past season, the Sixers were 29th in the league in rebounds per game at 42.3. Filling the pipeline with physical wings who are willing defenders should help fix this weak point.
The major downside to this pair is neither can be utilized as floor spacers. Champagnie is a willing shooter from deep but sometimes lacks efficiency. During his college career, he shot 34.8% on 4.9 attempts per game. In his one season in the G-League, Foster Jr. shot 31.3% on slightly over one attempt per game.
Jaden Springer to Join Sixers Summer League Roster
The first time we will see this draft class in action is during the Summer League. Along with these recent signees, other promising young players on the Sixers will be taking the floor in Las Vegas. During a media availability after the draft, Daryl Morey mentioned that Jaden Springer and Filip Petrusev are also joining the Summer League roster.
After being drafted in 2021, neither player saw much time at the NBA level. Springer spent a majority of the year with the Delaware Blue Coats in the G-League, while Petrusev was stashed overseas.
The team expects Springer to compete for a rotation spot this upcoming season, and performing well in the Summer League is the first step to doing so. That being said, the road to playing time on the Sixers just got a little tougher with the addition of De’Anthony Melton. Despite only being 19 years old, the Sixers have been pleased with his development. This season in the G-League, he averaged 14.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 1.5 SPG.
Petrusev saw an extended role in the Turkish Super League, where he averaged 15.2 PPG and 6.2 RPG across 13 matchups. With the backup center position currently vacant, a strong showing in the Summer League could earn him a chance to play in the states.
Given the Sixers’ desperate need for wing depth, Foster Jr. or Champagnie might also be able to compete for playing time, depending on how they perform this summer.