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With NBA having a chance to start very soon, the Los Angeles Lakers could find themselves being very busy. As LeBron James recently pointed out, Los Angeles fans aren’t content with just one championship. They want multiple to earn their respect.
A way the Lakers can make sure that happens is by trying to add a third superstar to the roster. Chris Paul is getting up there in age and only has so many more chances to win a championship. The Lakers would provide a very interesting fit for him as he’s great friends with LeBron and also fills a need. Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report believes that Los Angeles is the best landing spot in a Paul trade:
In addition to filling the playmaking void, giving L.A. a perfect late-clock bailout scorer and juicing a shaky half-court offense with elite pick-and-roll craft, CP3 would also bolster the Lakers’ already excellent defense. Alex Caruso, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Rondo performed effectively in Los Angeles’ title run, but Paul is on another level. Smart, competitive and good for at least one baited foul call per game, he’d give the Lakers an almost unfair advantage on D.
Paul also hit 42.3 percent of his catch-and-shoot treys last season, so defenses wouldn’t have the option of giving him the Rondo treatment away from the ball. And unlike Rondo or any of the other players L.A. employed at the point this year, Paul is a deadly three-point shooter off the bounce. He fired 3.4 pull-up triples per game in 2019-20, hitting those difficult shots at a 35.8 percent clip.
There have been reports that Paul “would love” to return to Los Angeles. The Lakers would give him his best shot at winning a title yet.
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Oklahoma City Could Be Starting Rebuild
The Oklahoma City Thunder were a lot better than anybody expected them to be last season and much of that was thanks to Paul. He put together a borderline MVP-type year. While the team exceeded expectations, they didn’t retain head coach Billy Donovan. That move basically ensures that the team is heading into full rebuild mode.
They’ve got a ton of draft capital and are set up for future success. They also have some veteran assets who could help them net more draft picks.
Could Lakers Take a Look at Multiple Thunder Players?
The problem facing a potential Paul-Lakers union is the fact that there should be a lot of teams interested in the guard. The Milwaukee Bucks are one team who could use the help. Adding Paul would get them over the hump. There probably isn’t a contending team who wouldn’t love to have Paul on their roster.
If the Lakers don’t get the chance to trade for the star, there’s another Thunder player they should look at. Dennis Schroder will be a free agent next offseason and probably isn’t going to want to stick around for a rebuild. He’d be a really strong fit for the Lakers as they need more scoring off their bench. Sending the Thunder Kyle Kuzma for Schroder would be a win-win for both teams.
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