Getty Chris Paul guarding LeBron James.
Even though the Los Angeles Lakers seem to have a real shot at winning the title this year, that probably won’t stop them from trying to create a superteam in the near future. They tried to last offseason but weren’t able to pull it off. It’s possible they could try again this offseason but there aren’t great free-agent options and the Lakers will have a hard time putting together an enticing trade package.
Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report is predicting the team will wait until 2022 when they can put LeBron James and Anthony Davis with Paul George and Chris Paul:
The Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort should be a hotbed for tampering, as potential 2021 free agents James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George all share the same lodging.
While James will likely try to convince Antetokounmpo to come to L.A. first, so will every other team with cap space in 2021.
Should James fail to bring in a third star in 2021, the 2022 offseason looks promising as well. James, Leonard and George all carry player options for the 2021-22 season, which means they could return to their respective teams or sign a new one-and-one deal to maximize earnings and keep their options open.
James will be 37 at the start of the 2022 season and while he’s defied Father Time, it will catch up to him eventually. Paul, who will be 37, also wouldn’t be getting any younger. However, Davis and George should still be in their prime. With those two taking on the bulk of the work and Paul and James serving as role players, that could be a recipe for success.
How Lakers Can Pull It Off
Having four superstars on one roster wouldn’t be an easy thing to pull off. Swartz detailed how the Lakers could make it happen:
If George has the opportunity to join James and Chris Paul (a free agent in 2022), could he pass it up? Especially if he wouldn’t have to leave L.A.?
The Lakers might have max cap space for George in 2022, and Paul should be willing to take a mid-level exception fresh off his nearly $160 million contract.
While this would be an older core, James isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, and Davis would still be in his 20s.
It’s definitely not impossible for the Lakers to form this squad. They’d just need Paul to take a discount. He’s never won a title and probably won’t in the next couple of years. Joining a loaded Lakers team could give him one last chance. This team would be reminiscent of the 2012-13 squad that featured Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol. It would be a bunch of veteran stars surrounding a superstar big man in his prime. Hopefully, this prospective group would fare better.
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George Recently Praised LeBron & Paul
George isn’t the most beloved player by the Lakers fan base thanks to his decision not to sign with the team when he was a free agent. He currently plays for the Clippers but it’s not impossible to imagine him going to the other Los Angeles team, especially since he recently had high praise for James and Paul.
“You have tremendous leaders in our league in LeBron, Dwyane Wade, [Chris Paul], Carmelo [Anthony],” he said, via Garrett Chorpenning of Sports Illustrated. “We got unbelievable leaders that notice they have a platform. They’re educated in politics, and they’re using their platform to get points across.”
Perhaps getting a shot to play with James and Paul could be too good for George to pass on.
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