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The LA Lakers are reportedly on the market looking for a veteran point guard in the 2021 NBA off-season. It's no surprise that Chris Paul's name has come up as a possibility to join LeBron James and Anthony Davis at Staples Center.
The 2021 NBA off-season is only getting started and there might be some surprises coming up from some contending NBA teams. Chris Paul's chances of leaving the Phoenix Suns come from his free-agency situation, as he might opt-out of the final year of his deal and become a free agent.
Of course, him joining the LA Lakers would sound good for him to try and win the evasive NBA championship he hoped to win in the 2021 NBA Finals.
Chris Paul fits well with the LA Lakers, here's why:
However, there have to be some questions as to how he would fit in with these LA Lakers and their established system.
In this article, we will give you five reasons why it would be a great idea to put Chris Paul on the LA Lakers with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Without further ado, let us take a look.
#5 LeBron James works well with veterans
If there's any tendency regarding LeBron James and how he works with teammates, it seems that he prefers to play with established NBA pros than to work with young guns. Of course, Kyrie Irving did have success with James from his fourth year in the league, but Irving is simply a superstar.
It is understandable that James works better with veterans than he does with young players, as he always has the pressure and expectations of guiding a team at least to the NBA Finals. Success will again be expected from him and the LA Lakers next year.
Chris Paul would more than fit that criteria, as he is a veteran who can still produce star-like numbers and impact a game. He is coming off his best run in the NBA Playoffs and would definitely do well alongside 'King James'.
#4 His offensive game could help LeBron James play off the ball a bit more
Chris Paul is famously referred to as the 'point god' for his ability to take over games and control every detail of his team's offense. LeBron James is indeed a bigger version of Paul's 'point god', but entering year 19 in his glorious NBA season, Paul could help The King and take some of his load on the LA Lakers' offense.
Chris Paul is a point guard who can dictate his team's pace and the pace of the game too. Moreover, his enormous passing ability helps him create offense for every teammate and find them in places where they'll be successful on the court.
Dennis Schroder had a similar role for LeBron James and the LA Lakers last year and despite some of his struggles, he helped 'The King'. James was arguably one of the frontrunners for the NBA MVP before injuring his ankle.
#3 Anthony Davis would benefit massively from Chris Paul's arrival
Anthony Davis is an NBA superstar and he's already delivered for the LA Lakers since his trade from the New Orleans Pelicans. Obviously, Davis benefitted mightily from LeBron James' abilities in the 2019-20 NBA season and the LA Lakers ended up as NBA champions.
Davis led the LA Lakers in scoring during the regular season and postseason during the 2019-20 NBA campaign and he was solid in the 2021 NBA Playoffs before getting injured. With the possibility of Chris Paul's arrival, another great passer for the LA Lakers will definitely create many chances for Davis to score easy buckets.
Davis needs to bounce back after a tough 2020-21 NBA campaign filled with injuries. He averaged 21.8 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in the regular season, but he played in 36 of the 72 games in the regular round.
In the NBA Playoffs, Davis averaged 27 points and nine rebounds per game in the first three matches of the first round. However, AD was injured in Game 4 and effectively missed the remaining games of the series (though he tried to play in Game 6 with a groin injury).
#2 Chris Paul can clearly adapt to a new team
Chris Paul has played for five teams in his NBA career, and he has been on three different squads over the past four seasons. He played for the Houston Rockets from 2017 to 2019, OKC Thunder in the 2019-20 season and last year with the Phoenix Suns.
He arrived in Houston in 2017 and quickly had to adapt to James Harden and not have the ball in his hands every time. Not only did Paul adapt to new environments, but he also helped the teams be successful, at least in the regular season.
The Rockets had the best record in the NBA in the 2017-18 season and were one win away from the NBA Finals before he got injured during the 2018 Western Conference Finals. The OKC Thunder were not expected to be any good in the 2019-20 campaign, but Paul's leadership helped the team reach the fifth seed of the West and enter the postseason.
Again, the arrival of Chris Paul improved the team tremendously as the Phoenix Suns returned to the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2010 with him leading the offense from a playmaking stand point.
#1 Relationship with LeBron James
Apart from the basketball fit, which would definitely work between Chris Paul and LeBron James, there is a personal relationship that both players have off the court and that could benefit the LA Lakers on the court.
Just recently, LA Lakers' LeBron James showed up in Game 5 of the 2021 NBA Finals to show support for his friend Paul, who is the godfather of James' second son, according to 'The King' himself.
Both future Hall-of-Famers have known each other since their teenage years and have a connection that would really pay off on the basketball court, because their styles fit together.
Whether the LA Lakers can acquire Paul in a sign-and-trade or not is still up for debate, but that his arrival would be a success for the team shouldn't really be in question.
Also read: 3 deals that LA Lakers should make if Montrezl Harrell opts in
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