Going Back To Cali

On Wednesday night, Paul George and Russell Westbrook lead the Oklahoma City Thunder into The Staples Center to take on the Los Angeles Lakers. The dynamic duo both hail from the greater Los Angeles area and they also spent their collegiate days in the state of California. George played for Fresno State and Westbrook played just down the road at UCLA. Both players have been mentioned frequently in various Lakers' trade rumors over the last few seasons. Unlike his teammate George, Russell Westbrook is locked up for the long-term, after he signed a five year 205 million dollar extension before the start of this season.

With Westbrook off the table in the upcoming free agency period, it has been no secret that the Lakers are dead set on acquiring not only Paul George but another maximum salary caliber player as well. Other than George, the most prominent names that have been mentioned in Lakers rumors are Lebron James, DeMarcus Cousins, and DeAndre Jordan. These are high expectations for a team that currently has the worst record in the Western Conference. However, the Lakers offer one of the best young cores in the league, as they now feature Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Kyle Kuzma. Julius Randle's future is up in the air, but that's another story. In addition to this plethora of young talent, there is also the obvious appeal of playing for one of the most storied franchises in the NBA in a city with an endless amount of media and marketing opportunities. 

When Paul George is introduced on Wednesday night, Staples Center will be cheering loudly, reminding him of the franchise's strong desire to sign him. Even more of a reason for all eyes to be on PG13 is the Lakers injury situation. Ball, Kuzma, and Brook Lopez are all highly questionable to play on Wednesday night, as they recover from various injuries. With a depleted roster as a likely possibility for the Lakers, fans will be keen on dissecting every aspect of Paul George's game. In the eyes of many Lakers fans, Paul George is already a guarantee to be wearing purple and gold next season. After his comments on Tuesday, it's easy to see why.

Paul George comments on his previous remarks about wanting to play for the Lakers (via Thunder Nation)

To some Lakers fans, this upcoming off-season will be viewed as a failure if they don't land Paul George and either LeBron James or DeMarcus Cousins. Whether the Lakers make a play for the latter two depends on what they want to do with the rest of their assets. The names Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson continue to be frequently brought up when it comes to the thought of acquiring a superstar. Both players would likely be traded or left to sign elsewhere should the Lakers successfully acquire multiple max-salary players.

Co-Stars & Supporting Cast

Paul George isn't the only star attraction in this game, as Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony make up the rest of the "OK3". Coming off an MVP season last year, Westbrook's supporting cast has been bolstered with two new stars. Along with Steven Adams and Andre Roberson, the Thunder boast one of the strongest starting units in the league. After initially struggling to smooth out some offensive kinks, the Thunder have picked it up recently while the Lakers are headed in the opposite direction.

While the young Lakers reboot, there are still plenty of positives things to monitor. Josh Hart has elevated his game as of late, picking up the slack when starter Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has missed games. Hart is already very polished for a rookie, as he was a four year player at Villanova. With a national championship and four years of experience under his belt, Hart seems to play with more composure than the average rookie. He profiles as a "three and D" type player, who may have an even higher ceiling than initially expected. For now, he brings energy and versatility to a Lakers team that certainly could use a spark. Hart played especially well in a recent overtime thriller at Houston, pouring in 26 points in a 148-142 double-overtime defeat. 

With the statuses of Ball, Kuzma, and Lopez all in question for this matchup with Oklahoma City, Hart should have a chance to shine once again. Julius Randle has moved into the starting lineup as of late, and he should be in line for big minutes in this game. Jordan Clarkson will also continue to play a big role, as he has done while Lonzo Ball is out. The elephant in the room has to be addressed by the Lakers at some point. Not only have Clarkson and Randle been mentioned as trade bait, but their names have been included in Paul George conversations as well. Although George is a free agent after the season, some well-sourced people do believe LA will try to trade for him this year, just to make sure they lock him up with a long-term extension. Two of the most likely fits in a hypothetical George trade are Clarkson and Randle. A Thunder lineup featuring Westbrook, Clarkson, Anthony, Randle, and Adams would be very intriguing. The question is whether or not the Thunder believe Paul George is likely to re-sign with them this off-season. If they think he is a goner, they could be better served to trade him in exchange for multiple young assets that could help now and later. While this situation remains fluid, for now, it would appear the Thunder would prefer to keep their core intact as they position themselves for a deep playoff run. 

While these types of trades are theoretically easy on paper, they don't happen overnight. It would take a lot of guts for Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson to pull the trigger on giving up two young and talented players, after shipping away D'Angelo Russell to Brooklyn last summer. Clarkson and Randle are certainly not naive; they surely know all about these rumors. We may very well see one or both players come into this game with a chip on their shoulder, knowing that they aren't valued by the public the same way Paul George is. With elite wing defender Andre Roberson likely out for OKC, the matchup gets slightly friendlier for Clarkson and Hart in particular.

Brandon Ingram is likely to draw Paul George, who is an elite defender himself. For the Thunder, Steven Adams has a strong chance to dominate down low. Adams has an excellent matchup on Wednesday night, whether Brook Lopez plays or not. Most of the players the Lakers will feature in the front-court are significantly shorter than Adams, who stands tall at 7'1". The New Zealand-born big man has been a forgotten hero for the Thunder this year, operating as an excellent pick and roll man, while being a very solid rim protector. It would be interesting to see Lakers second-year center Ivica Zubac play extended minutes in this game, and try his luck against Adams. Zubac has spent a lot of time in the G-League this year, while Adams has been a much-improved player, grading out well in several categories. 

Play Types	% Time	Poss	Points	PPP	Rank	Rating	FGM	FGA	FG%
Pick and Roll Man	29.20%	111	133	1.198	68%	Very Good	56	86	65.10%
Offensive Rebounds (put-backs)	27.10%	103	104	1.01	36%	Average	47	86	54.70%
Cut to the basket	19.20%	73	101	1.384	70%	Very Good	44	61	72.10%
Transition	8.20%	31	51	1.645	99%	Excellent	23	27	85.20%
Post-Up	7.1 0%	27	27	1	80%	Very Good	12	23	52.20%

Steven Adams during the 2017-2018 season

Despite the absence of several players from this game, we could very well see a shootout at Staples. While the Thunder play at a slower pace this year, the Lakers have picked it up, scoring the 11th most points per game in the NBA. The Lakers have missed the presence of Lonzo Ball the last few games, as they have not been as efficient offensively in the rookie's absence. Brandon Ingram has tried to pick up some of the slack as far as point guard responsibilities, but he has looked awkward and indecisive at times. As Lakers Film Room pointed out, this isn't a knock on Ingram, rather it is clear that he is playing out of position. Ingram has had some experience at point guard before, but he is clearly not the passer and decision maker that Lonzo Ball is. That is more than fine by the Lakers, who would prefer that Ingram continue to operate as a scorer when both players are healthy. Nonetheless, I expect the Lakers as well as the Thunder to score well over 100 points in this nationally televised matchup. A 121-113 type of game isn't totally out of the question. You can watch this potential shootout on ESPN, starting at 10:30 ET/7:30 PT.