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3 reasons why it's the perfect time for CP3, Melo to join the Lakers

The banana boat teaming up would be box office for the Los Angeles Lakers and would boost the television ratings of the NBA.

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LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs by Chris Paul's Phoenix Suns. They were dismantled by Phoenix in six games after losing Anthony Davis to an injury. Carmelo Anthony's Portland Trail Blazers also underachieved as they were also eliminated in the first round by Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

The Suns represented the whole Western Conference at the NBA Finals but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games after winning the first two and proceeding to lose four straight. That was Chris Paul's first NBA Finals appearance in his whole career. Their inexperience was very evident as Phoenix often struggled during the closing moments of a tight game. Composure was not present as they were seen scrambling and not knowing what to do.

It is ironic because LeBron was eliminated by CP3, Melo got eliminated in six games, and Paul got eliminated in six games. LeBron James also decided to change his jersey number to 6 next season.

LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony have been best friends for a long time. They're always seen having fun together and going on vacation with their wives.

But on a serious note, after their failed postseason,  36-year-old Chris Paul and 37-year-old Carmelo Anthony will need to evaluate their future. Chris Paul's situation is a bit more complicated since he can choose to hit the market or opt into his contract. If Paul decides to opt-in, the Lakers would need to trade a bunch of their players since Paul's contract is around 40 million, and if Paul decides to opt-out, the Lakers would surely want him to take a pay cut.

Carmelo Anthony is an unrestricted free agent who is willing to play on a veteran's contract for a contender.

Here are 3 reasons why it's the perfect time for Paul and Anthony to join the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers need a 3rd option and a ball-handler

The Lakers hoped Dennis Schroder can fill the void as the 3rd option, sometimes he did, but most of the time he did not. He was very inconsistent and was not a good 3-point shooter. Acquiring CP3 will do wonders for the Lakers as the 11-time All-Star can be the 3rd option behind Anthony Davis and LeBron James. Paul is also one of the best floor generals the game has ever seen as he averaged 9.4 assists in his career, and would you imagine LeBron and CP3 run the show together? Paul will definitely relieve some of the ball-handling pressure from LeBron James, a luxury that they don't have last year.

Solid scorer off the bench and will address shooting problems

With rumors swirling of a potential Kyle Kuzma trade, adding Anthony in the mix will certainly bolster their scoring off the bench. Melo is one of the best scorers in NBA history but has accepted a much lesser role in recent years. He has proven in his two seasons in Portland that he was capable of adapting in today's game. Anthony averaged 13.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from deep. That marked the best 3-point shooting percentage of his career.

Melo will certainly add shooting to a Lakers team that clearly lacked spacing last season. Spotting up and waiting for LeBron or Paul's passes will be deadly to opposing teams.

For the culture

The world needs to see LeBron James, Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony on the same floor together as they near the end of their Hall of Fame-worthy careers.

Paul and Anthony are the two members of the Banana Boat Crew who have not won a ring yet, while LeBron and Wade already got theirs.

This would be a treat to watch.

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About the Author

Mico Ong is a writer for ClutchPoints.