Chris Paul's future is up in the air at the moment. If he is waived by the Phoenix Suns, CP3 may look for a new team to sign with. The Los Angeles Lakers have been named as a potential landing destination for Paul.
Chris Paul is in a different position than most potential free agents. At 38-years old, CP3 only has so much time left in the league. He's still a talented point guard who's arguably the best floor general in the game. Paul's ability to set up an offense and find the open man is unparalleled. That said, Paul will receive a lucrative amount of money on the open market, assuming he is waived by Phoenix.
However, Paul also may be open to a pay cut. He's never won a championship in the NBA, something that will impact his legacy once he retires unless he brings home an NBA Finals trophy before it's all said and done. As a result, Paul may take less money to join a team ready to work towards a championship. That is where the Lakers come into play.
Before discussing Paul's fit with the Lakers though, let's take a look at his career up to this point.
Chris Paul's NBA career
Chris Paul has been regarded as one of the best point guards in the NBA since he entered the league. He spent the first few years of his career in New Orleans. The team made multiple playoff appearances with Paul on the roster, but he was never close to reaching the NBA Finals.
New Orleans agreed to trade Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011, a deal that would have completely shaken up the NBA. The deal was vetoed by commissioner David Stern though. Paul would be later traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, beginning the era of “Lob City.”
The “Lob City” Clippers were an exciting group to watch. CP3 constantly threw alley-oops to Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. The Clippers also found no shortage of regular season success. The playoffs were a different story, however.
Chris Paul and the Clippers never reached the NBA Finals during his tenure in Los Angeles.
Paul would later join the Houston Rockets, where he spent two seasons and performed well for the most part. That led to Paul playing one season with the Oklahoma City Thunder before ending up in Phoenix with the Suns ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.
Paul came close to winning an NBA Finals in Phoenix, but the Suns fell short in the championship against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021.
The Suns have been successful in the regular season over the past two years, but their inability to win when it counts is what has led to Chris Paul's uncertain future.
CP3 to the Lakers?
Chris Paul and LeBron James have a well-documented friendship. Both players are nearing the end of their careers, so winning a championship is both of their primary goals at this point, but for very different reasons.
LeBron is considered a top-two NBA player of all-time. If he wants to surpass Michael Jordan for the No. 1 spot though, adding another championship or two on his resume will be important. Meanwhile, as aforementioned, Paul is just trying to win a ring before he retires.
So why would CP3 joining the Lakers lead to his first championship?
Anthony Davis is a superstar when healthy. The Lakers struggled to open the 2022-23 season, but LeBron, AD, and the team picked things up in the second half. LA went on to perform well in the playoffs prior to getting swept by the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.
Adding Paul to the group would help. LeBron wouldn't need to be a primary ball-handler with CP3 running the point. Paul's presence would lead to open shots for the Lakers from beyond the arc as well, and that would be crucial given LA's trouble from three-point range.
Is it realistic?
The Lakers need to answer some questions on their roster. The futures of Austin Reaves, D'Angelo Russell, and others will be important to figure out.
If Chris Paul is willing to take a pay cut to play alongside LeBron in Los Angeles though, this is something that could be realistic. In what could be James and Paul's final seasons in the NBA, they would probably love to spend the season together.
Rumors will run rampant throughout the offseason if Paul does indeed opt to leave Phoenix. Joining the Lakers might just be his best option though.
Follow Us
Subscribe