Chris Paul To The Lakers? It's Possible, Says One Report

Chris Paul has been at the center of trade rumors since the day the NBA lockout ended, but most of those rumors have centered in New York City. Monday's news takes us cross-country, as one report has the Lakers getting involved in the CP3 sweepstakes.

Here's Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski adding a twist to the story:

The Lakers and Hornets talked several days ago, league sources told Yahoo! Sports, but it was one of those circuitous conversations that left the sides unclear what it would take to get a deal done, and the talk ended with no formal offers. The Lakers and Hornets expect to speak again this week, sources said. The prospect of Pau Gasol as the primary player going to the Hornets won’t be acceptable, sources said. The Lakers will ultimately be willing to let New Orleans pick its player in the deal – Bynum or Gasol – but New Orleans is determined to get quality, and quantity, in a deal.

The question, of course, is whether Chris Paul would be willing to sign an extension in L.A. The assumption is that Chris Paul wants to play in a major market for a championship contender, but Kobe Bryant's not getting any younger, and especially if the Lakers give up Andrew Bynum or Pau Gasol in a trade, it's an open question as to how long they'll qualify as true contenders. One thing's for certain, though: Chris Paul could certainly help the cause.