Fantasy Basketball Shockers: Paul George’s Return Sparks Unexpected Market Frenzy!

As the week unfolds, all eyes are fixated on the eagerly anticipated NBA Cup Championship set to pit the Knicks against the Spurs — a marquee matchup promising fireworks and drama. But let’s not overlook the buzz ignited just a day prior. Monday’s round of games already gave us heaps to chew on following a thrilling stretch of basketball action. With the holiday season fast approaching, the calendar is packed, and the narratives around players—from rising stars to seasoned veterans—are swirling with intrigue. Whether you’re a fantasy enthusiast or a die-hard fan, there’s plenty to dissect and enjoy as the storylines continue to develop. Ready to dive into the pulse of the hardwood? Let’s break it all down right here. LEARN MORE

Tuesday’s NBA Cup Championship between the Knicks and the Spurs is the highlight of the NBA schedule this week. Yet, Monday already provided some talking points after an entertaining previous week. There’s still a lot to follow before the Holiday arrives, and plenty of players to discuss.

Let’s get into it.

NBA: Indiana Pacers at Philadelphia 76ers

2025-26 Fantasy Basketball Top 200 Rankings: Paul George continues his ascent

While Joel Embiid’s return has been huge for fantasy basketball, so has Paul George’s.

STOCK UP

Paul George — SG/SF/PF, Sixers

PG-13 may very well be back. How back? Well, the accomplished veteran wing has tallied at least 20 points in three of his last four games, including a recent 35-point performance in which he went 7-of-10 from beyond the arc and led the Sixers in scoring. George has also been solid as a passer, leading to solid fantasy production recently, despite the stocks not being there. But arguably, the most important stat to stress is that he’s logged at least 30 minutes in each of the last four games. We’ll just need his body to hold up a little bit longer before getting overly optimistic about his ceiling going forward. Nonetheless, he’s currently healthy and has looked here in December. Stock up.

Kyle Kuzma — SF/PF, Bucks

Now may be an ideal time to make a move for Kuzma. With Giannis Antetokounmpo missing games, Kuzma has been more aggressive in looking for shots during his time on the floor — he’s landed double-digit field goal attempts in each of the last games and scored 13 or more in all of them. His most productive outing of those four games was a 31-point performance against the Celtics when he went 13-of-17 from the field. Although it’s unlikely he’ll consistently display that level of shooting efficiency on such high volume, the score-first approach from him for a team currently down its top scorer should continue to yield good scoring production and high upside.

Bub Carrington — PG, SG, Wizards

Over the last three appearances, Carrington is averaging 17.3 points and 7.3 assists in 38.0 minutes per game. He flirted with double-doubles in two of the games and was aggressive in his approach to the three-point shot. With the Wizards unlikely to turn their season around on a wins-and-losses basis, it’s logical to expect they’ll allow the young players to get in as many reps as possible. And if these recent three games are a sign of things to come, it may be worth adding Carrington from the free agency pool now — he’s got some upside and has recently shown he’s capable of some monster stat lines.

Fantasy Basketball Week 9 Schedule Primer: Gearing up for the pre-Christmas rush

The end of the Emirates NBA Cup means the back end of Week 9 will be loaded with games.

STOCK DOWN

Kel’el Ware — PF/C, Heat

Ware hasn’t scored in double figures in five of his last six games and has only secured double-digit rebounds in two of them. Such minimal production of late should be both concerning and frustrating for fantasy managers after seeing the sophomore center go for 15.9 points and 15.1 rebounds per game over an eight-game stretch earlier this season, which included three straight 20-point, 14-rebound double-doubles. He came off the bench in the most recent couple of games, including one with both Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro healthy and starting alongside Norman Powell, Davion Mitchell, and Andrew Wiggins. If Miami is set on going away from the double-bigs look to begin games, Ware could continue to see fewer opportunities to produce.

Pat Spencer — PG/SG, Warriors

The NBA is an unpredictable league. On the heels of a five-game stretch in which Spencer averaged 15.2 points and 4.6 assists, and made three starts, he was relegated to the bench in Sunday’s loss to the Trail Blazers and logged just seven minutes of action. With so many proven players on the Warriors’ roster and the team currently owning a below-.500 record, the cut in playing time, at least for a game, isn’t totally shocking. But as we’ve seen with other Warriors like Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga and Quinten Post, role and nightly rotation minutes aren’t consistent. Spencer could have more moments, but it’s difficult to have an idea of when or for how long.

Jimmy Butler — SG/SF/PF, Warriors

More on the Warriors: they could really use another guy to consistently put the ball in the basket, not named Stephen Curry. Butler had been that guy briefly to begin the season, averaging 21.7 points per game in October. But he dropped down to 19.5 in November, and is currently sitting at 14.0 points per game through four December contests — he’s taking fewer shots and free throws each passing month. The good news for fantasy managers who roster Butler is that even with the scoring production slowing, he’s still rebounding, tallying assists, and collecting steals to put forth solid fantasy production. Still, we want more. The Warriors need more.