Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers
Eric Pincus from Bleacher Report laid out this trade involving the Lakers and the Thunder:
"“If James set his sights on Paul, the Lakers would have to send out five players: Kyle Kuzma, Danny Green and Quinn Cook, along with Avery Bradley and JaVale McGee, who need to opt into their contracts to be dealt. LA would also need to send its No. 28 pick in November’s draft, signing that player before waiting 30 days to execute a deal in which the Lakers would offload almost $33 million in players salaries.”"
Chris Paul was an All-Star point guard last season for the Thunder. He averaged 18 PPG and 7 APG while pacing all point guards in the NBA in ESPN’s real plus-minus (5.51). Paul led an Oklahoma City squad that was supposed to be a western conference bottom-feeder into the playoffs.
Chris Paul could very well be worth Kuzma, Green, Cook, Bradley, and McGee, especially if the Lakers can sign a few solid veteran free agents to minimum contracts who are looking to latch on to a contender.
The exchange of talent isn’t the problem with this trade. The money is the real hindrance.
Chris Paul is due $40 million next season, and he has a player option for just under $45 million for 2022 that he will opt into because nobody leaves that kind of money on the table.
Rob Pelinka has set up the Lakers to be players in next summer’s deep free agency class when the Purple and Gold could only have two players under contract, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. If the Lakers were to trade for Chris Paul, it would be incredibly short-sighted.
The front office would essentially take the Purple and Gold out of free agency for two years, and they’d lose any chance at sustained greatness after LeBron James starts to slow down.
Is Chris Paul worth it? Five years ago, he was. Now, he’s nearing his 36th birthday, and while he’s still an elite point guard, he’s not the two-way force of nature he was during his prime. Plus, the Lakers already have the best point forward in the game in LeBron James.
It would be odd for the Lakers to spend $80 million per year for the next two seasons on two players—Chris Paul and LeBron James—whose skill sets overlap. During the 2020 playoffs, LBJ and AD showed how special a team could play when it boasts two athletes whose talents don’t replicate each other but complement one another perfectly.
We have to sell Chris Paul to the Lakers.
The Purple and Gold do need a playmaker, especially if Rajon Rondo leaves in free agency. Still, the front office should look to sign a reasonably priced playmaker to a one-year deal and keep the books clear for next summer when several high-end free agents come on the market.