Proposed Trade Swaps Lakers Star for Contender’s $120 Million Legend

Getty Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell will be a free agent this offseason.

Team Banana Boat never officially happened for LeBron James, but there is a growing buzz that Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul could be available via trade this offseason which should peak the Los Angeles Lakers’ interest. James has made no secret about his desire to play with his longtime friend, and the Lakers may be in the market for an upgrade at point guard.

Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz proposed a trade idea that has the Lakers landing Paul in exchange for D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley. For the deal to work, Russell would have to agree to a sign-and-trade with the Suns which would clearly have appeal given Phoenix enters next season as one of the top championship contenders.

“Paul is nearing the 18th green of his career but still averaged 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists and 1.5 steals this season,” Swartz wrote on June 1, 2023. “With LeBron James and Austin Reaves handling the ball a lot as well, Paul’s workload would stay at a reasonable level.

“For the Suns, swapping Paul for Russell and Beasley makes them younger and gives Booker one of his close friends to play with. For a team short on depth, Beasley gives Phoenix’s bench a veteran shooter who should thrive off kickouts from Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.”

Can the Lakers Trust Chris Paul to Stay Healthy During a Deep NBA Playoff Run?

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka injected life into the franchise with several moves at the NBA trade deadline. The deals jump-started Los Angeles during the regular season and allowed the Lakers to emerge as one of the final four teams remaining in the postseason.

The next moves for the franchise should be about helping James win his fifth NBA championship. The biggest question regarding Paul is his health and ability to be on the floor during a deep playoff run. Paul missed 23 games last season and the guard just turned 38 years old.

Paul still remains impactful averaging 13.9 points, 8.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 37.5% from long range this past season. The star would give the Lakers more of a traditional point guard option over Russell given his primary strength is scoring.

The former NBA All-Star has two seasons remaining on a four-year, $120 million contract, but the Lakers would have some flexibility regarding his future based on how Paul’s deal is structured. Paul is slated to have a $30.8 million salary for the 2023-24 season, but the guard’s $30 million is non-guaranteed for 2023-24.

Lakers Rumors: LA Would Prefer to Sign-and-Trade D’Angelo Russell

The early signs point to the Lakers attempting to move on from Russell as the point guard hits free agency. The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reported that Los Angeles’ preference is likely to orchestrate a sign-and-trade for Russell which would allow the franchise to get something in return for the star. The challenge is that Russell has full control of his future and can sign with the team of his choosing.

“My read on the situation is that the Lakers would prefer to use D’Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade, but I’m not sure the market is there,” Buha wrote on May 31.

“Landing Kyrie Irving for Russell is shaping up to be a pipe dream, especially with Dallas unlikely to help Los Angeles out. Fred VanVleet, a Klutch client, looms as a possibility, but adding him would require Toronto to agree to terms with Russell (or take on the Beasley and Bamba contracts).”