The Lakers are entering a pivotal point in free agency, missing out on everyone so far. It looks like it will be no different with a veteran that is wanting to play for the hometown team.
The Los Angeles Lakers are heading into a crucial summer where it's extremely important to satisfy LeBron James' current priorities while also preparing for a potential future with Luka Dončić. One of the team's biggest positional needs is at center — and a new option may have just become available in Deandre Ayton.
“The Lakers were competing with the Bucks for Deandre Ayton, and so this leaves Deandre Ayton to go to the Lakers to be their starting center as a possible ramification of this,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said.
In addition to Ayton, there's a possibility that another veteran could join the Lakers — one who reportedly wants to finish his career closer to home: Chris Paul. The veteran guard has had a storied career but has yet to win an NBA championship.
“Chris Paul would be another [Dallas] Mavericks target at $5.7 million, but there is a growing belief that Paul — after starting all 82 games last season in San Antonio as a 39-year-old newcomer to the Spurs — is determined to play closer to his home base in Los Angeles if he indeed comes back for a 21st season,” The Stein Line’s Marc Stein wrote.
It now appears that Paul’s most likely landing spots are teams based near Los Angeles — the Suns or the Clippers, both of which he previously played for.
“Bucks have registered interest in him... I'm told he wants to stay closer to home. Clippers and Suns are still in play,” Chris Haynes said.
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Though Paul played in all 82 games last season, his scoring numbers were not as strong. This could very well be his final year in the NBA. While Lakers fans were hopeful to see Paul, Dončić, and James team up, that scenario no longer seems likely.
Category: General Sports
