Warriors Rumors: Chris Paul Was 'Vocal Fan' of Dario Šarić Contract in Free Agency

Veteran point guard Chris Paul reportedly may have played a role in the Golden State Warriors decision to sign forward Dario Šarić in free agency.

Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweeted highlights of Paul and Šarić playing together with the Phoenix Suns, and added that CP3 was "a vocal fan" of the Dubs signing the Croatian big man:

Šarić's agents told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday that he had agreed to a one-year contract with the Warriors.

The 38-year-old Paul spent the past three seasons in Phoenix, but he was traded this offseason to the Washington Wizards in a deal for Bradley Beal, and Washington later flipped him to Golden State for guard Jordan Poole and draft picks.

After Phoenix acquired Paul from the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2020, he and Šarić played played together for one full season.

In 2020-21, which was the season the Suns reached the NBA Finals, Šarić appeared in 50 regular-season games and averaged 8.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists, primarily as a reserve.

He missed the entire 2021-22 season with a torn ACL, and while Šarić returned to play in 37 games for the Suns last season, he was traded to the Thunder for Darius Bazley.

Overall, Šarić played in 57 games last season, averaging 6.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

Šarić originally went 12th overall in the 2014 NBA draft, and he was part of the 2016-17 NBA All-Rookie First Team when he averaged 12.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per contest.

He averaged double digits in scoring in each of his first four NBA seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Suns, but has settled into more of a bench role in recent years.

Šarić will likely be a reserve big for a Warriors team that is returning mostly the same roster as last season aside from Poole and Donte DiVincenzo.

The Warriors are two seasons removed from winning their fourth championship in eight years, and while they went just 44-38 in an up-and-down 2022-23 season, they did reach the second round of the playoffs.

Golden State's success will primarily rest on the play of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Paul, but the 6'10" Šarić will bring a different element off the bench that the Dubs lacked last season.