Is Chris Paul going to the Lakers? After the news of the Phoenix Suns reportedly planning to waive Paul, going to the Lakers might be one possible move for the veteran player.
Christopher Emmanuel Paul, aka CP3 and The Point God, has been with the Phoenix franchise since 2020.
The professional basketball point guard, along with Abdel Nader, was traded by the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Suns for Kelly Oubre Jr., Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque, and a 2022 protected first-round pick.
In his first season with the Suns (in the 2020-21 season), CP3 helped the team to defeat Nuggets in a 4-0 series sweep in their Western Conference Semi-Finals appearance since 2010.
Moreover, the Suns even beat out the Los Angeles Clippers in the Conference Finals with a 4-2 game series & scored his playoff-high 41 points.
The 2021 NBA Finals was Chris Paul’s first-ever Finals appearance & a cut out of the Phoenix Suns’ drought from the Finals since 1993.
However, they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA Finals despite initially having a 2-0 lead.
It made Chris the first player in NBA playoff history to lose four series, where his team had a lead of 2-0.
2011 Lakers Trade: Chris Paul
In 2011, the possibility of Chris’ trade to the Lakers surfaced, but the former NBA Commissioner David Stern vetoed it due to the other team’s pressure.
As per various news, the displeasure of Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban regarding the trade played a vital role in the refusal of the trade.
The three team trade would have let Chris join forces with Bryant at the Lakers, and Houston Rockets would have received star center Pau Gasol.
The decision was unsettling for Chris, and his appearance on The Pivot Podcast revealed how it cost him an extra year of advantage.
According to him, if David Stern didn’t veto the trade, then the Lakers would have owned Chris’s bird rights, giving him a five-year contract term instead of the maximum of four.
Is Chris Paul Going To The Lakers?
Fast forward to the current scenario again; the possibility of him signing the Lakers has risen as the rumors of the Suns waiving Chris have surfaced.
Phoenix is exploring its options and contemplating reworking his contract by waiving or resigning him.
If Chris leaves the Suns, the possibility of him going to the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, and Dallas Mavericks is fourth-best after the Lakers’ highest +500 odds.
On the contrary, teams like the Detroit Pistons have the worst odds to acquire Paul at +7500, and the Charlotte Hornets, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, and Indiana Pacers all have +5000 odds.
Analytically, Paul has the best chance of trade with the Lakers and hopefully will be with them for the coming season.
