Lakers News: Veteran Point Guard and Potential Laker Target Wants to Stay Put

The near future at the point guard position for the Lakers is shaping up to be an intriguing story as the offseason gets set to heat up.

The NBA Draft is coming up on June 22 and teams can begin to negotiate with free agents on June 30.

That free agency period will be a crucial time for the Lakers with point guards D'Angelo Russell and Dennis Schroder both slated to hit the market.

It stands to reason that the team may not bring back Schroder -- an unrestricted free agent -- and Russell is not a certainty to return after his disappointing Western Conference Finals.

And there could be another element to the Lakers offseason in a player that has somewhat of a history with the franchise.

Future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul may be waived by the Phoenix Suns this month, after a season where he still put up quality numbers but was hampered by injuries, including a groin issue during the playoffs.

Paul is due to enter the third year of his four-year, $120 million contract next season.

The sticking point for the Suns is that the remaining $15 million of the $30.8 million owed to Paul, 38, becomes fully guaranteed on June 28.

According to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic, the team is "exploring options" regarding their point guard, but it's expected that the team will waive Paul.

As far as Paul himself is concerned though, he told Rankin that he wants to remain in Phoenix.

“Absolutely,” Paul said. “That’s why I’m there.” (via Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic

If Paul is ultimately released though, he could be a quality addition to the Lakers, especially if the Lakers lose either Russell or Schroder in free agency.

Paul, whose 2011 would-be trade to the Lakers was vetoed by then-NBA commissioner David Stern for what was rather infamously termed "basketball reasons," would certainly be a quality replacement for Russell -- on a likely much cheaper contract -- and his defense would definitely help the team as Russell struggled in that area at times.

His 38 percent shooting from three would help the Lakers as well, as a perimeter player that's able to consistently shoot from deep would help LeBron James out offensively.

Even if Russell were to return to the Lakers next season, Paul would still be a good anchor off the bench, provided the longtime point guard would be willing to take a significant pay cut.

Either way, the option of finally bringing Paul to the Lakers is definitely worth exploring if he does end up being waived by the Suns in the coming weeks.

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