The offseason is in full swing, and teams are starting to make their moves. Some teams are looking to build for the future, while others try to make instant success by “breaking the bank”, signing old dogs of the game. The LA Lakers are in a similar kind of situation signing 38 years old Chris Paul, but only if he is willing to take a veteran’s minimum contract.
The trade deal is on the table for CP3 depending on Washington Wizards’ much-anticipated trade sending Bradley Beal,29 to the Phoenix Suns.
The veteran point guard’s future is now hanging in the balance as no definite timestamp has been provided for BB’s transfer to the Suns camp.
How much are the Lakers willing to offer CP3
Chris Paul without an iota of doubt would be of interest to the Lakers, but only at the veteran minimum. It would be a terrific bargain for the Lakers if he took that from them and might allow them to keep Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura without significantly harming their salary cap.
Although it’s not very clear if the Lakers would even need to, Turner’s Times colleague Dan Woike said that “maybe (the Lakers) might slip into the small mid-level exception if necessary” for him. One possibility is that Paul is kept on by the Wizards for the entire season or that he is traded to another group, such as the Clippers, at least hypothetically speaking.
Report: Lakers only want to sign Chris Paul to veteran’s minimum contract https://t.co/xg5TGJfqmp
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 19, 2023
Yet, if he is bought out or released by the Wizards. It is pretty reasonable to suppose that the Lakers wouldn’t have to pay him any more than the minimum to sign him. One reason is that Paul still has a Los Angeles-based family, and it’s been very obvious from the tone and tenor of every media leak about his predicament that he would want to go back closer to them.
Wizards officials would like to have Chris Paul on their team next season, a league source told @JoshuaBRobbins.
However, Washington says they would work with the Suns and the veteran guard to trade him if CP3 prefers to play for a contender.https://t.co/cdX4BgupqU pic.twitter.com/hLwrhS5jay
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) June 18, 2023
Nevertheless, one more consideration is that, in order to consummate their transaction as it stands, the Wizards and Suns have already had to guarantee Paul almost his full year’s salary: The Suns were not in the same predicament as the Wizards when we originally thought about cutting Paul (when Phoenix had the option to fire him and just owe him $15.8M as opposed to $30.8M), in order to make the money work on this relocation, Paul’s contract is either getting fully or virtually completely guaranteed.
The only reason the Wizards have to buy Paul out is for him to return some of the money and allow them to make little financial savings.
Veteran PG looks to be LA Lakers’ ‘Plan A’ amid D’Angelo Russell exit speculations
As Bradley Beal and the Portland Trail Blazers grab all the attention, the Lakers also need to make some decisions. During the deadline, they acquired D’Angelo Russell through a trade, although it appears that he might leave this summer. This could present an interesting chance for the Chicago Bulls. Chicago needs assistance at point guard.
The Bulls eagerly anticipate his return to health. They must take initiative. They could be able to achieve that by focusing on D’Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade. Yet therein lies the problem. To persuade the Lakers, they would need to put together a sufficient offer. Maybe it’s their own sign-and-trade with Coby White.
They might try to evade Zach LaVine’s long-term investment. Regardless of the choice, the loss of the LA Lakers Russell is a fascinating target who could fill the point guard position and improve Chicago’s offensive struggles. Russell might be an intriguing perimeter shot creator for a Bulls club that struggles mightily to make three-pointers this summer.
Which team will ultimately secure Chris Paul’s services and will the Lakers find a suitable replacement for D’Angelo Russell? Let us know in the comments section!
