Finally Paul is back for action. But really....do you play him?
Preliminary thoughts are "Hell No!" first game back is potentially a shocker. The team has settled into the season relatively well, he'll be starting the integration process, and they'll ease him into the rotation to limit risk.
But then - they are playing the Suns. If ever there was a game to get him going, this has got to be it.
I'm leaning no, because i'm still sitting top of the league and can handle missing him another game or two in the interests of checking it out. BUT, what about leagues where people might be sweating on his return?
What's the format? If you have a games-played cap, I probably sit him. Otherwise, I'm probably rolling him out there in daily leagues...even if he's bad, he's still better than your end-of-the-bench guys
Indeed. Games cap in my case. He will be resting.
He's a great player and an injury risk. Play him while you can.
I don't buy it with a games cap.
He has a 20 min limit, and there's no reason that 3 weeks swimming and boxing will have helped him work out how to play with the team.
Game 1 (small sample) he dropped 4/8/10/2/1 in 33 min at 22% shooting. He will need time to find his shots, so i dont see why the shooting should miraculously change. Factoring the 20 min (instead of 33), you get a line like 22%fg/3pt/5.8rb/6.6as/1.5st/.5bl/.6to.
That sort of line is available on most wires. Even a potential top 10 asset needs minutes to produce.
CP3 in 20 mins is probably still a top-100 play. If you can afford to wait until his mins limit reaches 24, I'd do that, but I think his line tonight will actually be better than most end of bench guys, even if only by a little bit.
After 8 mins, I stand corrected.
(tips cap)
Fortunately i trusted you more than me, and started him.
