Los Angeles Lakers: Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma Makes Paul George Not As Important

The Los Angeles Lakers were once the rumored home of Paul George in 2018 according to CBS Sports. However, that might not be the case anymore. While George was with the Indiana Pacers, he mentioned his desire to play for his hometown Lakers. Since then, he’s been dealt to the Oklahoma City Thunder and the rumors, only from the media’s standpoint has stayed alive. But do the Lakers really need George is the question? The answer is simple–no. That might be due to the success of Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram.

The issue the Los Angeles Lakers are facing is that George plays the same position that Kuzma and Ingram currently occupy. While Kuzma can shift between SF and PF, depending on the Lakers moves, he may end up at one or the other for the foreseeable future. So, what are the Lakers to do once the free agency period hits? Do they put either Kuzma or Ingram on the trade block and pay George the price of a small island, or do they stick with their two young studs and play the hand they were dealt?

Even with Paul George stating his desire to join the Lakers, the truth is, the Lakers may not need him. While the thought of George or LeBron James coming to Los Angeles has Lakers fans rejoicing after losing Kobe Bryant, no one expected the upward strides Brandon Ingram would have this season or the emergence of Kyle Kuzma.

If the Lakers are hell-bent on bringing George in, where does he play? Do you bench/trade Kuzma or Ingram after their impressive season? While both are young and still adjusting to the NBA game, a move like this could backfire on the Lakers. As Free Agency approaches, the Lakers still must find a way to get more talent (LeBron James/ Kawhi Leonard) to pair with whoever they may have left if they can pull off a trade for Leonard. While Paul George is a key figure, the Lakers, even with George does not scream championship.

But should George be that MAIN  guy the Lakers should go after? I mean, he’s talented but ridding themselves of some young players could prove to be costly in the end. Then there is still the issue with Luol Deng and Julius Randle. Deng is making $18 million just to sit and watch and the Lakers will have to let Randle walk with no real Center waiting in the wings.

Where Magic Johnson might be reading the tea-leaves wrong is the notion that the Lakers must have a ready-made superstar on the team. If that’s the case, then why not groom one who’s already in uniform? This is what happened with himself and Kobe Bryant. It wasn’t about the trades then. What the Lakers need is a player the fans can get behind and that has been Ingram and Kuzma. There’s no denying the star power George, LeBron and Leonard will bring to the team but what about the power Ingram, Kuzma, and Randle already has.Yes, it could be a new Big 3 in Los Angeles but for how long? Will LeBron sign anything longer than a three-year deal and who’s to say that Leonard or George won’t want out if something terrible should happen? If that goes down, then the Lakers are the new Brooklyn Nets.It’s all about the long game now with the Los Angeles Lakers. The current Lakers team already has two players capable of posting numbers similar to George or even better for way cheaper. The Lakers should keep Ingram and Kuzma, and spend the money they had reserved for Paul George somewhere else.

[BXReporter]

Mark Wilson

Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.