Lakers: 7 guards to trade for and 7 to sign in free agency this offseason
1. Chris Paul
Chris Paul was destined to be a Lakers franchise point guard back in his prime in 2011, but the league decided he should play for the Clippers instead. That lead to him missing out on a huge chunk of his championship window with him as the number one star on his team because his Clippers could never get out of the second round of the playoffs.
Now he is in a much different phase of his career, but last year he shut up some of his naysayers by putting up a vintage season with averages of 17.6 points per game, 6.7 assists. More importantly, he led a ragtag group from Oklahoma City to the playoffs, a team that many projected as the worst team in the league before the season started.
If he can do that much for a team that did not lack point guard depth before his arrival, imagine how much of an impact he could have on a team that is desperate for another ball-handler and playmaker of his caliber.
Even though he lacks the size at just over six feet tall, Paul still will scrap on defense and even averaged five rebounds last season.
Paul could essentially be an upgraded version of what playoff Rondo was for the Lakers during their championship run. He will get all the Lakers ducks in a row on offense when AD and LeBron are on the court, or when they are not, and will be their best 3-point and free throw shooting option instantly.
One thing Paul has in common with the Lakers team from last season is that he thrives in the fourth quarter and in crunch time of games. He was one of the best fourth-quarter players in the NBA last season and he would fit in well with a group of players that went 57-0 after leading through three-quarters last season.
Most basketball fans appreciate seeing a player play with the determination and effort Paul plays with on a nightly basis, and most would like to see him awarded with a championship for all his efforts throughout his 15-year NBA career.
The Lakers seem like the team most likely to get him that ring next season and he will make the Lakers backcourt better, so it is time for Paul to finally get his much-awaited trade to the Lakers.