Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports has made a lot of headlines since he started a new podcast with Max Kellerman, and not necessarily for the right reasons.
Paul has spoken about the Lakers a lot, notably saying that he does not believe they are championship contenders as currently constructed. With that being the case, Paul has suggested the Lakers bring Austin Reaves off the bench and then most recently suggested they look to trade him for Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr.
This type of chatter is not typical for NBA agents, especially when they are talking about players who aren’t their clients. It has led many people to question why Paul is doing it and messing with the Lakers’ chemistry.
James was asked about it after the Lakers’ win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday and made it clear that Paul’s thoughts do not reflect his own, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
“I think you all know by now, Rich is his own man and what Rich says is not a direct reflection of me and how I feel,” James told ESPN on his way out of Crypto.com Arena. “And I hope people know that. I hope people know that and if they’re not sensible to know that, then I don’t know what to tell them.”
James added that Paul did not consult him before starting the podcast and his agent is free to do whatever he wants:
James told ESPN he did not consult with his longtime friend Paul about the decision to enter the media space and host the podcast before it launched last month.
“Rich, that’s what he’s doing,” James told ESPN. “That’s his whole thing. That’s what he’s doing. That’s what he’s talking about, but I have zero conversations about what his topics are going to be or what they are going to talk about. He is his own man and that is his platform.”
Paul has been James’ friend and agent for a long time, so it’s natural for people to think the Klutch Sports CEO is speaking for his client when he makes these type of comments. With that, it’s good to see LeBron nip it in the bud before it becomes a distraction for the Lakers.
JJ Redick doesn’t understand LeBron James criticism
What James is doing at his age is unprecedented as he nearly had a 30-point triple-double while leading the Lakers to a win in the second night of a back-to-back against the Hawks.
After the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick called out LeBron haters, not understanding why they feel the need to criticize him so much when he is still doing what he is at his age.
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