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The era of Chris Paul in the Phoenix Suns has officially ended, as he has been traded for Bradley Beal. Now with the Washington Wizards, Paul's future with the team looks uncertain at this point. It's likely that the Wizards will waive Paul's contract, making him available in the market this offseason.
With that in mind, the LA Lakers might finally have the opportunity to sign Chris Paul, who they've been targeting for several years now. However, according to Andrew Greif, Broderick Turner and Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers will only sign Paul to the veteran minimum contract. LA's conditions seem fair, given that Chris is already 38 years old and is slowly declining as a player.
It seems hypocritical, given that LeBron James, at 39 years old, is expecting to make $97.13 million in the next two seasons with the Lakers. However, James is a special case considering he's still putting up numbers similar to his younger years. Thus, LA can't risk paying a huge amount to Paul, who could underperform compared to what is expected of him.
Will Chris Paul fit in with the LA Lakers?
Chris Paul is undoubtedly still one of the best pure point guards in the NBA. Despite nearly approaching 40, Paul's timing with his passes is yet to decline. When he first joined the Phoenix Suns, he immediately brought success to the team by helping them make deep playoff runs and even reach the NBA Finals once.
Unfortunately, Phoenix decided to let their point guard go and it's time for a new chapter in Paul's career. The LA Lakers could be his next destination this offseason. However, it's unclear if the "Point God" will be a perfect fit with the Purple and Gold.
LeBron James may be listed as the Lakers' forward, but no one can deny that he's the team's main floor general. While he can be an efficient scorer, James is naturally a pass-first player. Therefore, one could easily wonder if LA is still in need of a pure point guard. However, if Chris Paul ends up joining the team, James will have to play a different role if they're on the floor together.
