Lakers: Re-signing Isaiah Thomas may be the key to bring in Paul George

The Los Angeles Lakers are one step closer to obtaining Paul George. In all of the hoopla, new free agent Isaiah Thomas has been forgotten about.

Paul George reportedly will walk away from the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers are now the favorites to sign the star.

The writing has been on the wall for over a year, dating back to when George was a member of the Indiana Pacers. The hometown LA connection always made George and interesting connection. A lot of speculation and rumors over the past year have turned it into a reality.

All of this is leading up to the summer of 2019, in which the Lakers are supposed to make the move to bring in George to be the final piece to the puzzle. Alongside a young core, George will serve as a veteran leader; someone that can teach this group of guys how to win and will eventually lead the team to a title.

However, it should not be all youth on the Los Angeles Lakers if George does decide to come. Instead, it may be pivotal for the team to sign guard Isaiah Thomas to sweeten the offer for George.

The Lakers have a lot of things going in their favor when it comes to George. LA is young, has a ton of cap space and is a natural free agent destination just for the bright lights of downtown. The only disadvantage the team has is the lack of established stars.

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While there is no doubt the young core will succeed for years to come, the core simply is not as far along as the 76ers. Plus, the Lakers do not have the established star that a team like the Pelicans has to potential lure George in.

Thus, Thomas becomes huge solely due to his reputation. While he may not be considering a superstar any longer, he is an established name that could make a big impact when healthy.

Perhaps Thomas is best suited as a sixth-man and could be a fantastic one for the Lakers. Los Angeles will likely be able to pay Thomas in the $15 million ballpark, much more than any other team may be willing to pay.

This would be on a one-year deal and would be a chess move to try and bring George in. All of a sudden, the Lakers would have an elite-level starting five with fantastic bench options in Josh Hart, Thomas and Kyle Kuzma. As the youth progresses, the Lakers could turn into the deepest team in basketball.

This now becomes a very interesting situation for George, who can rely on someone to take over and score off of the bench. Right now, George is looked at to be the guy that turns this ship around. At least with Isaiah Thomas, he has a little bit of help.

Plus, this undoubtedly helps Thomas. Not only would he be getting the payday that he wants, he would be on a short-term deal that would allow him to set the bar for the future. This could help Thomas up that salary even more if he shows he can be productive and a good teammate.

Of course, Thomas may not be willing to take a reduced role on the Los Angeles Lakers. However, if he wants to win and wants to get paid, the Lakers are his only option.

Next: The biggest competitors for Paul George

And for Paul George, bringing in Thomas serves as a bit of gravy. While many assume Thomas already has one foot out the door, he is much more important than you think.

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