NBA fans don’t have to wait any longer. The regular season is underway. You know what that means, right? It’s time to overreact.
How can we avoid it? If you watch the games, you draw conclusions. It’s early – we shouldn’t make assumptions. Yet, we can begin to form opinions. It’s worth watching teams around the league to determine what decisions teams should make.
For example, the Los Angeles Lakers may consider adding some secondary playmaking. LeBron James played in limited minutes in their season opener, and at his age, that isn’t likely to change. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors may be thinking about the future.
Could they send Chris Paul to the Lakers to improve their outlook?
NBA Trade Proposal — Los Angeles Lakers Land Chris Paul
Golden State Warriors Receive: G D’Angelo Russell, G Gabe Vincent, G/F Cam Reddish
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: G Chris Paul, 2026 First-Round Pick (Lottery Protected – GSW)
With that said, both of these teams are worth keeping an eye on. They’re both on the contention bubble. Both teams could find their way to the NBA Finals this season.
At the same time, either is a candidate for a disappointing season. Perhaps that’s because both teams are aging. Granted, James is aging gracefully. In the Lakers’ season opener, he looked like the player we’ve grown accustomed to watching.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Chris Paul, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Still, it’s worth noting that his minutes were limited, and head coach Darvin Ham suggested this could be a trend. On the other hand, Steph Curry will likely function as the same MVP candidate we know and love.
What about Draymond Green and Klay Thompson? What about Chris Paul? Could the Warriors send him to the Lakers?
Why The Golden State Warriors Do The Deal
Some fans will question the logic of this deal for the Warriors. Why are they bringing Russell back at the price of a first-round pick? Why are they taking Paul’s expiring contract off of their books? Shouldn’t this team be making space for Klay Thompson’s upcoming extension?
We’ll see. If Thompson wants a significant enough deal, the Warriors may not want to extend him no matter what the rest of their books look like. If so, they’ll need backcourt depth for the next few years.
Unless the Warriors intend on completely rebuilding, they’ll need to replace Thompson. Russell is a vastly different player, but he is a good playmaker and sufficient floor spacer who’s already familiar with the Warriors’ system.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Chris Paul, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
With that said, Vincent is a more comparable player to Thompson. For Golden State, this is about keeping a talented enough roster to contend over the next few years.
Should the Lakers help a Conference rival stay relevant?
Why The Los Angeles Lakers Do The Deal
For the Lakers, this deal has a couple of different potential benefits. To begin with, Paul is James’ close personal friend. That connection could lead to on-court chemistry. He also feels like a better fit than Russell alongside James as a more reliable floor spacer.
The Lakers may also be happy to clear up some space on their cap sheet. This team could be a player in free agency next summer if they make this move.
The Lakers won’t want to punt on this season if it’s going well leading up to the deadline, but it could be an option if they’re not satisfied with their performance. Finally, landing this protection first is a benefit to Los Angeles as well.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Chris Paul, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
They could trade with that asset this summer or hang onto it – this team is low on draft capital. In the end, everyone should have an eye on the Lakers this season – after all, we can finally watch them in action.
