Few names will elicit as visceral a response from Los Angeles Lakers fans as that of Chris Paul. The future Hall of Famer has run the gauntlet, going from tormenting Los Angeles in the playoffs to nearly joining Kobe Bryant as a Laker to ultimately moving to the rival LA Clippers.
Since the dawn of the LeBron James era in Los Angeles, the rumor mill has revisited the Paul matter on a consistent basis—and the latest update may be the most significant and polarizing to date.
Paul is coming off of a season in which he played all 82 games for the San Antonio Spurs. During that time, he made quite a case for himself having more left in the tank than anticipated. The question, however, is what's next for the unrestricted free agent—and a new rumor seemingly points to the Lakers.
According to [Marc Stein of _The Stein Line_](https://marcstein.substack.com/p/friday-night-party-nba-intel-style), Paul is looking to sign with a franchise closer to where his home is based: In Los Angeles.
"Chris Paul would be another Mavericks target at $5.7 million, but there is a growing belief that Paul — after starting all 82 games last season in San Antonio as a 39-year-old newcomer to the Spurs — is determined to play closer to his home base in Los Angeles if he indeed comes back for a 21st season."
That doesn't necessarily guarantee that the Lakers will sign Paul, but it certainly increases the odds of the purple and gold [as a landing spot](https://lakeshowlife.com/once-nightmare-lakers-finally-reason-explore-controversial-signing).
Chris Paul is looking to play closer to his home in Los Angeles
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