The Los Angeles Lakers have fully embraced a guard-centric identity since acquiring Luka Dončić in exchange for Anthony Davis. With Dončić leading the team in scoring and Austin Reaves continuing his steady ascent, L.A.’s offensive engine runs through its backcourt. But one name from the past could bring even more intrigue to the Lakers’ rotation: Chris Paul.
Paul, who turned 40 in May, is an unrestricted free agent after starting all 82 games for the San Antonio Spurs last season. While he averaged a modest 8.8 points and 7.4 assists, he maintained elite efficiency, finishing third in assist-to-turnover ratio and shooting nearly 38% from three.
Despite his durability and production, Paul is unlikely to return to San Antonio. The Spurs traded for De’Aaron Fox, watched rookie Stephon Castle claim Rookie of the Year honors, and drafted Dylan Harper with the No. 2 pick—stocking their backcourt for years to come.
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That leaves Paul, who openly expressed his desire to play closer to his Los Angeles-based family, searching for a new home. “The past six seasons, I’ve lived without them,” Paul told Pat McAfee in June. “I want to hoop… but at the same time I do want to be a dad.”
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Paul has become a strong candidate to return to the West Coast—with the Lakers potentially in play. “There is a growing belief that Paul is determined to play closer to his home base in Los Angeles if he indeed comes back,” Stein wrote.
Of course this also leaves a reunion with the Clippers as a possibility for Paul. The Clippers are actively pursuing a point guard in free agency, namely Nickeil Alexander-Walker, most recently of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
While fit concerns exist—particularly alongside LeBron James, Dončić, and Reaves—Lakers fans on social media are already fantasizing about the pairing. Whether Paul becomes a complementary piece or another “chef in the kitchen,” his arrival in Los Angeles would be a poetic and potentially powerful final chapter.