That reads correctly: There is a chance, though quite slim, that Houston Rockets superstar Chris Paul will play with the King James for the Los Angeles Lakers. Such likelihood surfaced following reports that the Rockets front office intends to rebuild the team, and unsurprisingly around MVP James Harden. The rest of the team has been placed on the trading block.
The report from Yahoo Sports clearly stated that the Rockets are sticking to Harden as the team's marquee player. The plan is to match the talented Golden State Warriors, which will be achieved by going on a shopping spree. As the same report stated, all personnel on the entire Rockets lineup will be up for grabs, and only Harden has been marked safe.
It follows then that the team's other superstar, CP3, will likely have a new team come the next NBA season. Where Paul is headed to is still the subject of speculations, but a natural destination would be the LA Lakers. It is no secret it is hunting season for the Lakers following successive years of frustrating campaigns.
Even with LeBron James leading LA, the team failed to make the cut and missed the playoffs for the nth time. The team badly needs a buddy for James to relive the glory of the old days, and it might be in the person of Chris Paul.
Paul, however, making his way to LA seems a longshot considering the prevailing circumstances. For starters, one of the rumored reasons the Rockets have decided to ship out Paul had to do with chemistry. In the last two years of his stay with Houston, it was alleged he found it difficult to click with Harden. Or it could be the other way around.
If the former is true, any team would think real hard before acquiring the services of Paul.
Another thing that could discourage is the $160 million attached with Paul, which could distract the path to a successful negotiation. Paul's age and current health status are wrinkles that need ironing out before even having talks in earnest.
To be blunt about it, the Chris Paul of yesterday has already passed. What he is today is of limited value, according to Bleacher Report.
"Chris can't stay healthy. He has not been the same player. It's hard to imagine him going back to the way he was," the report quoted an unnamed executive as saying.
But it's not hard to imagine that the Lakers, brushing aside business sense and logic, will still sign up Paul if only to realize a Dream Team that is bannered by King James. Rumors are rife the Los Angeles Lakers lineup will shine even further with the supposed addition of names like Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, and Klay Thompson.
When and if this happens, it will not be so bad on the part of the Lakers to bet on Paul and give the 34-year-old a few more years and possibly bring the Larry O'Brien trophy back to the LA turf.
