Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James said the public should not confuse opinions shared by his longtime agent, Rich Paul, with his own views on the team.
Speaking to ESPN on Tuesday night after the Lakers defeated the Atlanta Hawks at Crypto.com Arena, James stressed that Paul’s comments on his new podcast with Max Kellerman are “not a direct reflection of me and how I feel.”
Paul, founder of Klutch Sports, recently drew attention by stating the current Lakers roster is not built to win a championship, suggesting guard Austin Reaves should move to the bench and even proposing a trade that would send Reaves to the Memphis Grizzlies for center Jaren Jackson Jr. Such public roster ideas from an agent, especially regarding players outside his client list, are unusual and have fueled questions about potential locker-room impact.
James told ESPN he was not consulted before Paul launched the podcast last month. “He is his own man and that is his platform,” the 39-year-old star said, adding that he has “zero conversations” with Paul about the show’s topics.
Redick Defends Veteran Star
On the second night of a back-to-back, James nearly posted a 30-point triple-double in the win over Atlanta. After the game, first-year head coach JJ Redick criticized detractors who continue to question James, calling the veteran’s production at his age unprecedented.
The Lakers improved to 33-29 with Tuesday’s victory.
Source: Lakers Nation
