Chris Paul's era with the Houston Rockets ended when he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for All-Star guard Russell Westbrook. However, the consensus around the league is that CP3 could be looking for a buyout from OKC, so he could become a free agent and join a championship contender.

If that, or a trade, happens, there's speculation about him finally ending up with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Now, this is not one of those every-star-player-is-linked-to-the-Lakers scenarios, as Paul was almost traded to the Purple and Gold back in 2011. Unfortunately, it was then vetoed by then-league commissioner David Stern, and CP3 eventually ended up being traded to their co-tenants at Staples Center, the Los Angeles Clippers.

Fast forward to today, and it seems that the idea of Paul heading back to LA is starting to gain steam, but is it really possible for him to end up with the Lakers? Well, several things have to fall into place for that to happen, and it has to begin with the buyout.

This is the toughest part of this situation, as Paul still has three years left in his contract, which will pay him approximately $103 million. The likelihood of OKC paying him that full amount is slim, especially since he hasn't played a single game for the team.

Now, some people have suggested that OKC could agree to buyout CP3 for $60 million; that is still huge, but not as painful as giving him the entire $103 million he's owed. Now, let's say this happened, is CP3 100 percent joining the Lakers?

Possibly.

LeBron James is one of Paul's closest friends and it is possible that playing with each other is an idea that crossed their minds a lot of times. The problem is, the Lakers already have a lot of guards at the moment, and all of them have already agreed to sign their deals.

Moreover, there is one player on the Lakers roster who might not like the idea of playing with CP3, and that's Rajon Rondo. Their dislike for each other is well-documented, and that could potentially be the deal breaker unless LA decides to waive Rondo.

If that happens, then there's absolutely no reason for Paul not to join the Lakers. He will definitely help this team more than any other guard on the roster right now, and he might be the missing piece that will finally help the franchise win its first title in 10 years.

Chris Paul is still one of the best pure point guards in the league, and he's someone who hasn't had any chemistry issues with anyone in the past. He will definitely be a good fit for a team that has LeBron and Anthony Davis.

Then again, if the buyout doesn't happen, the CP3 will either remain with OKC or be traded to another team. The Thunder will also consider their options in this situation, and at this point, they would rather get something in return for him rather than letting him walk away while paying him in the process.

So Laker fans, don't set your hopes and expectations too high. This isn't NBA 2K.

If it makes you feel any better, the Lakers are already a very good team with what they have right now. Sure, CP3 will be an upgrade, but they'll still be one of the best teams in the Western Conference without him.