Rich Paul Says Current Lakers Roster Falls Short of Title Expectations
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Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, who represents LeBron James, expressed doubt about the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship prospects during the debut episode of the “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman.
“I personally don’t think the Lakers are good enough to be contenders, not right now,” Paul said. “I don’t think they have enough to get to the Western Conference Finals.”
Through 23 games, Los Angeles sits at 17-6 and second in the Western Conference despite injuries to several rotation players. The roster features James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, along with offseason additions intended to bolster depth. Even so, Paul pointed to shortcomings in athleticism, length, shooting and speed—areas he believes will be exposed late in the regular season and during the playoffs.
“When you go into the playoffs, we saw last year, they ran into athleticism and length and they struggled,” he explained. “Can the Lakers play fast? I don’t think so. That style of play is going to be very easy to guard once you get into the postseason.”
Paul added that Denver remains superior and said Houston “has athletes” that could challenge Los Angeles. He also suggested schematic tweaks, advocating for James to serve more often as the screener in pick-and-roll actions because, in his view, Deandre Ayton or Jaxson Hayes are “not the decision-maker coming out of the pick-and-roll.”
While questioning the club’s immediate ceiling, Paul confirmed James will finish the season in a Lakers uniform, dismissing speculation about a possible trade. The NBA trade deadline is set for Feb. 8, leaving vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka several weeks to determine whether roster adjustments can address the concerns Paul outlined.
Source: LakersNation.com
