Lakers News: LA Divided on Signing Aging Former All-Star This Summer

Will the Lakers make a major move for a longtime target this offseason?

Mar 13, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Chris Paul (3) and forward Andrew Wiggins (22) and guard Klay Thompson (11) and Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Green (8) and center Daniel Gafford (21) watch the ball go out of bounds during the first half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

At least some members of the Los Angeles Lakers organization are apparently looking to right a David Stern-era wrong.

Per Marc Stein in a new Substack piece, Los Angeles is considering adding Chris Paul this summer.

Granted, this is the 39-year-old vintage of Chris Paul who was effectively the seventh or eighth man on a No. 10-seeded Golden State Warriors club this past season, not the Hall of Fame "point god" that the 12-time All-Star was in his prime. But the 6-foot Wake Forest product remains a crafty passer, a decent defender at his position, and a solid shooter, even heading into his 20th season.

Stein cautions, however, that not all of Los Angeles is aligned on the theoretical Paul addition. No doubt his injury history, age, and physical stature (he's a bit undersized, which only becomes a bigger vulnerability as he gets older and his athleticism fades) are giving some pause.

Last season marked Paul's first year, ever, as a reserve. Across 58 healthy games (18 starts), he averaged a career-low 9.2 points on .441/.371/.827 shooting splits), 6.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 26.4 minutes per. Currently, Paul is owed a $30 million non-guaranteed salary for 2024-25. Given that he's probably worth something more along the lines of a taxpayer's mid-level exception, Golden State seems likely to waive or flip him.

Former NBA commissioner David Stern infamously vetoed a three-team 2011 summer trade with the then-New Orleans Hornets and the Houston Rockets that would have seen a prime Paul join Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles. Instead, Paul was shipped to the L.A. Clippers, for a fun-but-ultimately fruitless "Lob City" run.

Now, Paul would be joining longtime friend LeBron James, the league's oldest player, and his 2012 Olympics teammate Anthony Davis, on an L.A. club that is looking to improve on its first round playoff exit in 2024.

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