7 reasons why Chris Paul is a good fit for the Lakers

5. Possibility of playing for former teammate, JJ Redick

Before Adrian Wojnarowski sent the NBA spinning on June 6 with his breaking news that UConn Head Coach and 2-time NCAA Champion Dan Hurley was actively being pursued to become the next Lakers head coach, JJ Redick was widely thought to be the “frontrunner” for said position. 

Who knows how this Lakers coaching carousel will end up playing out, but if Redick is ultimately the one who ends up at the helm, this would give Paul all the more reason to come play for the Lakers. Paul and Redick were teammates for four years on the Clippers in a highly completive Western Conference. They know each other and they have an existing friendship. 

This would give the duo a chance to win a ring together — a feat they were unable to accomplish with the Clippers. Redick would know how to properly use Paul in this current stage of his career and would be a coach who could bring the best out of him due to their preexisting relationship formed from 2013 to 2017 playing for Doc Rivers.

6. Chris Paul is a playmaker who can facilitate an AD-led offense

Chris Paul is the perfect player to help lead a Lakers offense led by Anthony Davis.

Heading into season 22 in the league, LeBron is no longer going to be the first option every game or the designated player the offense runs through. Anthony Davis has taken over that role on the Lakers and if he can stay heathy like last season, the same will go for this coming season. Off the bench, Paul could come in while LeBron takes a rest and run things through Davis. 

We all saw Chris Paul as a member of the Lob City Clippers with DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin. Paul would thrive as a playmaker having a guy like Anthony Davis and would be able to get an offense rolling in a strong second unit for the Lakers. 

This would not only ease the load for LeBron, but would continue to allow AD to dominate and lead offensively. Additionally, LeBron wouldn’t be left always having to be the facilitator and the one who runs the offense. Things would be different with a seasoned point guard like Chris Paul in the Lakers’ arsenal.

7. Rajon Rondo (part two)

If Chris Paul were to join the Lakers, he would have the potential to follow a Rajon Rondo-esque archetype. 

When the Lakers won the NBA Finals in 2020, that team had veteran players like Dwight Howard, J.R. Smith, Avery Bradley, Danny Green and Jared Dudley. They also had Rajon Rondo, who came in with championship experience, having won it all back in 2008 with the Boston Celtics. 

Chris Paul could be like Rondo in the sense that he could be in that veteran role, but still help contribute and impact an organization as a point guard in the latter stages of his career. Rondo still had gas left in the tank, and so does Chris Paul. Rondo was perfect for the Lakers for those reasons, and Chris Paul could fill that same role, which ended up being important in the Lakers’ championship run in the bubble.