Los Angeles Lakers: Early predictions for the 2018-19 starting lineup

Shooting Guard: Paul George

The first real domino falls, and boy is it a doozy.

For the last year and a few months, we’ve been hearing endless rumbles about a potential Paul George-Lakers pairing. Well, after much speculation and wonder, PG-13 comes home, giving Los Angeles the superstar it so desires.

Now this may seem like a strange fit for George at the 2. However, considering the other starters I decided to go with, it made sense to me. He’s got the athleticism and defensive chops to handle the more explosive shooting guards, but can also slide all around the lineup based on matchups.

More importantly, George brings proven star power to the Lake Show.

As we all know, George is an elite two-way talent capable of turning the tide for any NBA franchise. Although he’s been a bit inconsistent at times with the Oklahoma City Thunder, we saw during the team’s opening playoff game (36 points, 8-of-11 from downtown) that he can go off on any given night. There’s no reason the Lakers would pass on that type of impact free agent.

By signing PG-13, Magic checks off the “sign a superstar” box on his to-do list. With the All-NBA talent now in Los Angeles, this young core gets its veteran leader who can help guide this group of budding stars. More importantly, it officially reinstates the Lakers’ “contender” status.