Fresh from winning their 17th NBA title on Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers are seen prepare early for the next season. And why not as LeBron James is a man in a hurry. He is 35 years old and gunning for a repeat makes sense for the four-time NBA champion, and for that James needs a new wingman.
To be sure, The King's collaboration with Anthony Davis already amounts to a juggernaut for the Lakers. But it would not hurt to bring in another superstar and many league observers think that reinforcement will go by the name Chris Paul.
According to Bleacher Report, signs are aplenty that James' close friendship with Paull will lead to a partnership, and that means the OKC guard signing with Los Angeles in the offseason.
"Chris Paul would love to come back to L.A. I know it would be a dream come true for Chris," the report quoted an unnamed NBA executive as saying.
It appeared that Lakers' successful season led AD to decide to stay with the organization, and with that question already set aside, the next thing for James is to make sure that his quest for title No. 5 will gain a strong chance of success. The logical choice for the superstar is to recruit his close pal Paul, who by the way is managed by an agency that James owns.
But to convince the Thunder to make a deal on CP3, Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus said the Lakers must be prepared to send out five stars - a package that possibly consisting of Kyle Kuzma, Danny Green, Quinn Cook, Avery Bradley, and JaVale McGee.
While it would seem odd that the NBA's reigning champs are moving personnel on a large-scale, Pincus said such a gamble will pay off. The offseason will see teams beefing up and James and his crew will be facing teams such as the Warriors, Clippers, Nuggets, and all the strong contenders in the east with upgraded rosters.
If Los Angeles plans to keep the Larry O'Brien, then management must do the works in the offseason, and do it right.
And Paul is the best choice available for the Lakers if the chief credential is superstar status. For one, James trusts the guy and likely knows how to work with him. And the Lakers are acquiring a player that knows how to score and score big every single night.
As a bonus, CP3 is a playmaker so that's another load off James' shoulder, meaning he will have more time attacking the rim.
Fadeaway World said Paul ended the season on a high note. He was impressive with Oklahoma City and thanks to his sterling performance and leadership, OKC clocked one of the best win-loss records last season.
Now signing Paul will not be easy given the money concerns and perhaps the reluctance on OKC's part to let him go after only a season but hopefully, James and the Lakers front office can cook up some magic to make the deal happen.
