Former Raptors forward Champagnie signs with Celtics

Former Toronto Raptors forward Justin Champagnie is making his way to a division rival.

On Monday, The Athletic’s Shams Charania broke the news that Champagnie will be signing for the remainder of the season with the Boston Celtics following the conclusion of his NBA G League season.

The Boston Celtics are planning to sign NBA G League Sioux Falls forward Justin Champagnie, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Champagnie spent parts of last two seasons with the Raptors, and has averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds for Sioux Falls.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 3, 2023

An undrafted free agent out of Pittsburgh that originally signed with Toronto on a two-way deal prior to the 2021-22 season, Champagnie averaged 2.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.3 assists in 39 games for the Raptors in his career. He was waived by Toronto on December 29, although it didn’t take him long to find a new home.

On January 10, the NBA G League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce announced that Champagnie had signed with the team for the remainder of the season.

Champagnie’s NBA contract for this season with Toronto would’ve become fully guaranteed had the Raptors kept him past his waive date.

In 10 games with Raptors 905 this season, he averaged 22.5 points on 52.1 percent shooting (36.8 percent from three-point range), 10.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.5 blocks per 33.5 minutes a game.

With the Skyforce, Champagnie averaged 18.2 points per game in an average of 31.7 minutes per night, shooting .306 from three-point range while also adding 8.1 rebounds per game. They finished their season on Sunday, falling in a playoff contest by a 110-105 score.

The Celtics are currently sitting second in the NBA’s Eastern Conference with a record of 54-24, and they’re among the favourites to win the championship this season.

They’ll actually be hosting the 39-39 Raptors for a series of games this Wednesday and Friday, meaning there’s a chance that Champagnie will find himself back in the lineup against his former team this week, especially with Boston all but locked into one of the conference’s top two spots.

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