2. Paul George, SF, Oklahoma City Thunder
Here he is — the one all Lakers fans are hoping will sign in a few months. Paul George has been mentioned as one of the team’s top targets for some time. Now it all comes down to this offseason to determine what the future holds for PG-13.
Will he decide to stick with the Oklahoma City Thunder? There’s a decent chance that’ll be the case, but it could very well come down to their success (or lack thereof) during the playoffs. If he becomes available in July, other teams are very likely to enter the mix as well. In the end, though, the Lakers seem like the team to beat for his services.
They’ve got the hometown aspect on their side. They’ve got plenty of spending power, and an exciting band of young stars to help his cause. George would surely thrive in Los Angeles, potentially even returning the Lakers to contender status overnight.
Magic hasn’t been busy creating cap space for nothing. George is one of the franchise’s top targets in 2018. They’ll pull out all of the stops to woo the dominant two-way player. It’s going to be hard for him to say no when all is said and done.
I wouldn’t book it just yet. However, it would be a dream come true for the Lakers if George donned the purple and gold in the very near future.