Few names will elicit as visceral a response from Los Angeles Lakers fans as that of Chris Paul. The future Hall of Famer has run the gauntlet, going from tormenting Los Angeles in the playoffs to nearly joining Kobe Bryant as a Laker to ultimately moving to the rival LA Clippers.
Since the dawn of the LeBron James era in Los Angeles, the rumor mill has revisited the Paul matter on a consistent basis—and the latest update may be the most significant and polarizing to date.
Paul is coming off of a season in which he played all 82 games for the San Antonio Spurs. During that time, he made quite a case for himself having more left in the tank than anticipated. The question, however, is what's next for the unrestricted free agent—and a new rumor seemingly points to the Lakers.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Paul is looking to sign with a franchise closer to where his home is based: In Los Angeles.
"Chris Paul would be another Mavericks target at $5.7 million, but there is a growing belief that Paul — after starting all 82 games last season in San Antonio as a 39-year-old newcomer to the Spurs — is determined to play closer to his home base in Los Angeles if he indeed comes back for a 21st season."
That doesn't necessarily guarantee that the Lakers will sign Paul, but it certainly increases the odds of the purple and gold as a landing spot.
Chris Paul is looking to play closer to his home in Los Angeles
Paul, 40, finished the 2024-25 season averaging 8.8 points, 7.4 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.7 three-point field goals made in 28.0 minutes per game. He shot just 42.7 percent from the field, but knocked down 37.7 percent of his three-point field goals.
Paul maintained efficiency in both on and off-ball sets, shooting 38.1 percent on catch-and-shoot threes and 37.0 percent on pull-up attempts from beyond the arc.
Furthermore, Paul ranked No. 7 among qualified players in assists per game and No. 4 in assists per 36 minutes. He was also No. 3 in assist-to-turnover ratio, No. 7 in points created via assists, and No. 8 in potential assists.
For a Lakers team that saw its second unit rank 29th in points and 30th in assists via bench players, adding Paul would undoubtedly open the door to vital improvement.
The polarizing nature of the Paul rumor, however, is that he's 40 years of age and may not fit as seamlessly as once before. He's become increasingly more selfless as the years have gone on, but Los Angeles has a three-headed playmaking monster in Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.
Adding Paul may create a situation in which there are simply too many chefs in the kitchen, thus causing players who aren't necessarily known as playmakers to receive less touches outside of spot-up opportunities.
For a Lakers team that ran a more modern offense under head coach JJ Redick in 2024-25, adding a fourth high-volume playmaker could cause regression in other areas. It's also worth questioning if Paul can provide the same defensive value as current backup guard Gabe Vincent.
There are pros and cons that Rob Pelinka must consider, but if the latest proves true, the Lakers may very well test the waters for finally acquiring Paul.