The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most storied franchises in NBA history, making them one of the most attractive destinations in all of basketball. This fact was highlighted this offseason when the Lakers managed to sign Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart to team-friendly deals following their respective buyouts this summer, and it certainly helps when playing alongside LeBron James and Luka Doncic is another incentive.
Although the Lakers have lured plenty of stars to the City of Angels before, they've also seen their fair share of failed trades and free-agent signings fall through. In fact, one star who almost joined the franchise just signed with one of the Lakers' biggest rivals on Monday.
Former Lakers Trade Target Chris Paul Signs with Clippers Before Final NBA Season
In an interview with The Atlantic's Jemele Hill earlier this month, veteran point guard Chris Paul announced that the 2025-26 NBA season would be his last as an active player. The Lakers had previously tried trading for the All-Star playmaker over a decade ago, leaving fans to wonder if general manager Rob Pelinka would attempt to sign him in free agency.
Well, the time for that has passed because Paul will be spending his final season with the L.A. Clippers, according to NBA insider Chris Baynes. The one-year contract is reportedly worth $3.6 million.
BREAKING: Future Hall-of-Famer Chris Paul has reached an agreement to return to the Los Angeles Clippers on a one-year, $3.6 million deal, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/Bh7HRybVxV
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 21, 2025
Paul previously spent six seasons with the Clippers, playing an integral role in the franchise's 'Lob City' identity. It also represented one of the most productive stretches of his career, which included his being the NBA leader in steals and blocks three and two times, respectively, as well as six NBA All-Defensive first-team nods and five All-Star appearances.
Paul joining the Clippers is the last thing Lakers fans wanted to see, meaning the latter fan base isn't thrilled about the reunion. At the same time, GM Pelinka's signing Smart over the weekend certainly makes the rival franchise's signing more digestible.
Fans nearly got to see Paul in the Purple and Gold back in 2011 when the Charlotte Hornets agreed to trade him to the Lakers. Unfortunately, the NBA — which owned the Hornets at the time — voided the transaction, preventing fans from seeing Paul share the floor with Kobe Bryant. Instead, the 'Point God' was traded to the Clippers just under a week later.
It'll be interesting to see how Paul fits into the new-look Clippers. The Lakers' rival has made plenty of additions since the NBA offseason began, with some of those names including Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez, and John Collins. At the same time, the Lakers have made some significant moves, too, giving them as good a shot as anyone to compete for a championship next season.
Now that Paul has returned to the City of Angels, it'll only be a matter of time before the Lakers prove to him that he joined the wrong L.A.-based franchise.