Los Angeles Lakers Suddenly Face Limited Options At Point Guard If They Fail To Acquire Chris Paul

Prior to the Phoenix Suns trading Chris Paul to the Washington Wizards, many had the veteran point guard pegged to join the Los Angeles Lakers.

It would have made perfect sense. Before the Suns emerged as sudden suitors for All-Star guard Bradley Beal, it appeared Paul was destined to be waived by Phoenix for salary reasons. The Suns would only owe $15.8 million of the $30.8 million he was originally owed for next season, and the biggest threat to the Lakers’ quest for signing the 38-year-old would have been a reunion in Phoenix.

However, things are now complicated. With Paul a member of the Wizards and Washington seeking another team to fully complete the Beal/Paul trade — in an effort to send Paul elsewhere — the Lakers look like the odd team out.

“I’m not hearing the Lakers. I don’t think that’s where Chris Paul is headed,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said Tuesday on Get Up. “Now, there are discussions already happening with the Wizards about rerouting Chris Paul. From what I am told, there was some discussions involving the Clippers and the Wizards yesterday about a potential Chris Paul package.

In other words, the Clippers — not the Lakers — appear to be the favorites in Los Angeles to land Paul.

Considering the Lakers won’t be an option in a possible multi-team trade deal for Paul, the only reasonable way the Purple and Gold could acquire the point guard is by hoping the Wizards fail to find an extra taker and just end up waiving him — as the Suns originally intended to do.

In that scenario, the Lakers could then swoop in and sign Paul to the veteran’s minimum. He’d finally get his chance to play for the Purple and Gold while teaming up with LeBron James for one last chance at a championship ring.

However, that is a big if, especially when considering how the other team in Los Angeles is adamant on reuniting with their former franchise point guard.

If the Lakers fail to acquire Paul, what are their options at point guard? Well, they’re limited.

With Los Angeles lacking the salary cap space to make major moves in free agency such as signing Kyrie Irving or Fred VanVleet, that means the Lakers have two options when it comes to solving their point guard situation.

The first option — the one fans don’t want to hear — is simply re-signing D’Angelo Russell, where he likely won’t earn any more than $20 million per season. Prior to a disastrous Western Conference Finals series performance against the Denver Nuggets, Russell had turned in an efficient postseason performance and regular season stint as a member of the Lakers.

After he was acquired in a midseason trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Russell averaged 17.4 points and 6.1 assists per game on 48.4% shooting from the field and 41.4% from beyond the arc in 17 regular season games with the Lakers. In fact, Los Angeles went 12-5 in those games and Russell was a major reason why Los Angeles had the second-best record in the Western Conference following the trade deadline in February.

Russell also averaged 16.7 points per game on 37.2% from beyond the arc in the first round series win over the Memphis Grizzles and 14.7 points per game on 45.6% from the field in the series victory over the Golden State Warriors.

In other words, for as much flack as Russell gets, he’s not a bad option. There are definitely concerns how Russell adapts when the Lakers advance deep into the playoffs, but he’s a former All-Star who is a viable option at point guard.

Secondly, the other possible option is trading their No. 17 pick with a package of players — likely the non-guaranteed deals of Malik Beasley ($16.5 million) and Mo Bamba ($10.3 million) — for a star guard.

The problem is, there isn’t a clear market for trades for a point guard, with Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard certainly not heading to Los Angeles.

As Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times notes, maybe that’s Chicago Bulls guard DeMar DeRozan — previously linked to the Lakers prior to their acquisition of Russell Westbrook — or Indiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield, long linked to the Lakers during their interest in him and center Myles Turner throughout the 2022-23 season.

If the 2023 NBA Draft comes and goes without the Lakers acquiring their point guard through trade, Los Angeles then hopes that Paul ends up being waived.

If that doesn’t end up being the case, expect Los Angeles to run it back with Russell at point guard.