About the CP3 trade.
This could be the reason for it not to happen.
Or let us just say a lower percentage for it to come true even with James capability to push it through.
NBA rules state that, when trading for players that make as much money as Paul does, the acquiring team must send at least 80 percent of that salary back in the deal. Paul is set to make $41,358,814 next season, according to Spotrac. That means that the Lakers would need to send out $33,087,051. That is where this gets tough, because at present, the Lakers don't have that much salary on their books to trade. They currently have six players under contract for next season: LeBron James, Danny Green, Kyle Kuzma, Quinn Cook, Alex Caruso and Talen Horton-Tucker. They are awaiting official word on five player options as well: Anthony Davis, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Rajon Rondo are expected to opt-out, and are therefore untradeable, while Avery Bradley and JaVale McGee are expected to opt-in. That would make them tradeable.
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/chris-paul-trade-rumors-how-a-dec-22-start-date-for-new-nba-season-could-prevent-possible-lakers-deal/It's a question of money.
Management would not risk so many good players to be released for him. No offense.
Then, if they did take CP3, how much space will be left to fill the holes?