Lakers Roundtable: How to spend $61 million in the summer

Isaac Gutierrez’ take:

My answer is the obvious choice, but regardless of its predictability, it is far and away the best choice. This choice is to sign both Lebron James and Paul George. Along with adding those two superstars, I would love to see the team bring in Nerlens Noel.

These additions need almost no justification. Lebron James is one of the greatest players of all time, and adding him is an almost guaranteed spot in the NBA finals, or in this case, the Western Conference finals since the warriors still exist. The team should do everything in their power to add a player or this magnitude.

Paul George is not someone who is good enough to lead your team to the finals, but if he is your best player’s sidekick, well you are in a fantastic place. In today’s NBA where 3-and-D wings are at a premium, he is perhaps the best in the world at just that. These skills, along with his ability to get his own shot off the dribble at will, makes him the perfect player to play alongside Lebron James.

Adding Nerlens Noel to this team makes all the sense in the world as he will be affordable, and is signed to the same agency as Lebron James. It is not inconceivable that the team could do Rich Paul, James’ agent, a favor by giving Noel a deal, in exchange for delivering the team the league’s best player.

Along with it making sense in the business aspect, Noel has become one of the league’s most underrated players since being exiled by Rick Carlisle in Dallas. Since Brook Lopez will likely not be back without a pay cut, the team will need someone to fill that spot.

A lineup of Lonzo Ball, Paul George, Brandon Ingram, Lebron James, and Nerlens Noel, with Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart and the teams draft picks off the bench would be a thing of beauty.