Chris

Paul

CP3 didn’t produce much in the box score, but it was fun to see him suit up in a Spurs uniform for the first time. He’s still developing chemistry with Victor Wembanyama, and Gregg Popovich made sure they were on the court together as much as possible. As they figure things out, Paul’s upside in fantasy hoops will only increase, since he should be able to get plenty of assists and steals while playing alongside Wemby.

Waived by the Warriors on Sunday afternoon due to the team’s desire to avoid guaranteeing his $30 million salary for next season, Paul has been perceived as a player the Spurs wanted to add in free agency. San Antonio struggled mightily last season despite having rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama, and there was a dire need to improve the options at point guard. Paul certainly accomplishes that, and it’s fair to question the future of Tre Jones, as San Antonio selected Stephon Castle with the No. 4 pick in the NBA Draft. Paul’s presence will benefit Wembanyama and Devin Vassell, and it should boost his value after an underwhelming 2023-24 with the Warriors. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Paul’s deal is worth $11 million for one season.

Paul and the Warriors agreed to push back the guarantee date on his 2024-25 $30 million salary to search for a trade partner, but no deal emerged. Paul is past his prime, but he should still draw plenty of interest due to his high basketball IQ, elite passing and veteran leadership.

Paul’s agreement to push back the date to the start of free agency (6:00 p.m ET on Sunday) gives Golden State the chance to explore potential trade routes for the veteran point guard. He’s in the autumn years of his career, but he can still be an end-of-bench fantasy option thanks in large part to his elite production in the assists category.

Paul’s first season with the Warriors ended poorly, as the veteran point guard did not offer much value when on the court. That wasn’t the case during the regular season, as CP3 (Yahoo ADP: 72.7) was a top 100 player in 9-cat formats. However, Paul only appeared in 58 games, averaging a career-low 9.2 points and 6.8 assists (second-lowest average of his career). The 2024-25 season is a contract year for the 38-year-old Paul, who turns 39 in May. It’s difficult to envision his role being enhanced, so look for the ADP to be considerably lower than it was ahead of this season.

GP2 missed the Dubs’ last three regular-season games and is now set to miss their play-in game against Sacramento. Chris Paul and Brandon Podziemski have a chance to play larger roles during his absence.

Stephen Curry and Draymond Green will miss this game, which will allow for Paul and Kuminga to return to the starting unit. They could still move up the standings if the Kings and Lakers lose, and this group should still be able to get a win over the tanking Jazz. While Paul will return to the bench for the Play-In Tournament next week, Steve Kerr could make an adjustment in the frontcourt based on how things go in this one.

Steph Curry and Draymond Green are out, but Golden State will have Thompson, Paul and Kuminga available to pick up the slack. Expect all three to play pivotal roles in the regular-season finale.

Golden State may be without their three veteran guards for Sunday’s season finale, which would open up a ton of minutes for Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski. Golden State would need Portland to beat the Kings to have a chance to move up the standings, so they may prioritize rest.

Paul stepped into the starting lineup for Klay Thompson, who sat out with a sore knee. CP3 didn’t offer much scoring, but the limited assist tally was the bigger surprise. He remains a solid fantasy option whether he starts or comes off the bench. Stephen Curry is the one who got the job done in the assist category, dishing out eight while also recording 22 points (8-of-22 FGs, 1-of-1 FTs), seven rebounds, one steal, two blocks, and five 3-pointers. Thompson is expected to be available for Friday’s game against the Pelicans, which would drop Paul to the bench.