Rich Paul has held the trust of LeBron James for a very long time. Longtime friend, turned super agent, Paul has been part of the James’ inner-circle since well before the first NBA game.
Paul, most known for his work with James, is also the founder and CEO of Klutch Sports. His agency represents some of the greatest athletes in the world, spanning multiple major sports. He’s also expanded his portfolio, also co-hosting a podcast, “Game Over”, with Max Kellerman.
Their podcast has always been popular, however, it has garnered a lot of attention with the impending free agency decision of (LeBron) James. And Friday, July 24, the decision was made. James is now a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. He made the announcement on his official X account (@KingJames).
Rich Paul Reveals Final Teams LeBron James Considered
Naturally, Paul and Kellerman sat down for a podcast episode to discuss the decision. Throughout the conversation, Paul highlighted some of the breadcrumbs he was leaving along the way. He also revealed some behind-the-scenes information, specifically revealing the final four teams James was actually considering.
Even though Kellerman is Paul’s co-host, certain portions of their podcast often turn into an interview. With Paul essentially being James’ right-hand-man, Kellerman frequently attempts to coerce Paul to reveal concealed information.
At the midway point of Friday’s episode of “Game Over”, Kellerman wanted to get the real information as it pertained to the actual final teams James was considering.
“So, were the reports true? When it seemed to be narrowed down to, it was widely reported that it was: Golden State, Cleveland, Miami, and Philly. That’s what it got whittled down to, were those reports true?” Kellerman asked.
“Those were true,” Paul responded.
“So, for the last however many weeks, did it ever get down to three or two?” Kellerman asked.
“No,” Paul definitively answered.
“It was always those four?” Kellerman inquired once more.
This is where Paul brought the Minnesota Timberwolves into the conversation. The Timberwolves, with the enticing possibility of teaming up with Anthony Edwards, remained the fifth realistic option for James, as least in the public eye. Paul set the record straight.
Paul Speaks Harsh Truth on Timberwolves Chances Prior to James Announcement
“Minnesota, you always kept an eye there because Tim Connelly, he’s on it. He’s on it, on it, on it. But, for whatever reason, ya know. But, again, it was tough. And I had to be in the position to where I gotta be stealth. I can’t lean one way or another way until he (James) wants to make a decision,” Paul said in closing.
It appears Paul wants to continue to walk the line, and not disrespect anyone around the league. While Paul is willing to reveal the Timberwolves were not on James final list of four, he also chooses to express they were never fully out of the race. Paul specifically names (Tim) Connelly, the president of basketball operations for the Timberwolves. And it certainly sounds like Connelly did his job, as Paul said he was “on it” multiple times.
But it sounds like, for the sad realization of Timberwolves fans, James was never realistically going to take his talents to Minnesota.
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