Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers: Franchise players in each NBA Team – NBA Feature Part 10
Chris Paul – Los Angeles Clippers
That one is pretty simple, given that Chris Paul re-signs with the Los Angeles Clippers in the next off season.
The point guard, arguably the best in the league, joined the Clippers last season and instantly made them into a playoff contender, starting a journey that ended with a 4-0 whitewash at the hands of the Rampant San Antonio Spurs.
He was to sign an extension with the Clips this season, but let it pass considering he will get a five year and a more lucrative deal if he picks the pen next season.
The arrival of Paul at Los Angeles changed the way Clippers approached their basketball. Instead of relying heavily on big men to get the work done on the court, the Clippers have now switched towards smaller lineups circled around
CP3 and given what the point guard was able to achieve in only his first year, many great things can be expected from Paul and the Clippers in future.
Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers
With Dwight Howard not inclined towards signing the extension with the Lakers just yet, Kobe Bryant still remains as the alpha dog of the franchise.
The Black Mamba has carried the franchise on his shoulders for more than a decade and still has the pedigree and years left in him to take that burden.
If anything, the arrival of Steve Nash and D-12 will only make him a better player and will also lessen his defensive responsibilities. The acquisition of Howard will only help Kobe in making lesser visits down the lane and concentrate
more on his perimeter shooting, but the main for Kobe will be his back court combo with Nash, one of the best ball handlers the game has ever seen.
Nash is as unselfish a player as you will ever see and his presence will greatly increase the numbers of Pau Gasol and Howard, with them finding more and more easy balls down low. The problem is whether Kobe will like that.
As good a player as he may be, Bryant is a notorious ball hogger and likes to run the offense of team, Lakers not having a true point guard in the last 12 years or so being one of the main reason. With Nash around, Kobe will have
less ball time and ultimately lesser opportunities to score. Given his huge ego, this can be an issue for Bryant and the Lakers.
However, it was Kobe who gave his blessings the Nash trade and with those being veteran, the general hope is that the chemistry issues will soon be sorted out.
Pedigree wise anyhow, they don’t come much better than Kobe and that’s what makes him great and the leader at Lakers for the years to come.
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