Popular agent Rich Paul doubled down on his loyalty to LeBron James by claiming the Los Angeles Lakers need to be grateful to have him on their roster. James is still playing at a high level after over two decades in the league. The first-round series against the Houston Rockets sees the 41-year-old leading the Lakers to a 3-0 lead, despite missing both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to injury.
Paul shared the following message about why the Lakers need to be grateful such a historical great is on their roster:
“When you have a player like LeBron James, on and off the court, you keep that guy a part of your organization. The Los Angeles Lakers should be delighted that he played for them, number one. Also, they should be doing everything they can to make sure he’s a part of that organization going forward. Because guess what? You won’t find another.”
The current free agent status of James plays a big role in why Paul is making this public comment. Rumors circulate during the regular season that the Lakers would be fine losing LeBron, but that has changed a bit over the past few months. Most reports now claim that the Lakers hope to keep James on a cheaper contract to improv their roster depth.
Why Rich Paul’s Comment Is Important For Lakers
Paul is considered one of the shrewdest businessmen in the NBA after using his friendship with James to become arguably the top agent in basketball. LeBron’s camp is extremely aware of everything going on around him, including the Lakers going hot and cold this season.
Unexpected injuries forcing Doncic and Reaves out saw James saving the season by taking his game to a higher level. LeBron has started playing his previous style of being the best player on the team to get the best out of his less talented teammates.
Players like Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, and Luke Kennard are outplaying the Rockets’ highly touted athletic prospects. Paul clearly wants the Lakers to realize how much James still helps the team after a strange season of rumors showed them almost wanting him out of the door.
Will The Lakers Keep LeBron James?
The Lakers will be the top team on the free agent market this summer since they are up there with the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls for having the most cap space. Any basketball fan could see the Lakers are by far the best of the three to make their roster spots more relevant.
James reportedly is willing to take a smaller contract, but Paul’s message may be a bad sign for the Lakers in that regard. If LeBron is still this impactful, he may want a little more money than expected to complicate the team plans.
Reaves, Hachimura, Kennard, and Jaxson Hayes will all join James as free agents this summer. The Lakers will have to pick and choose who to bring back and which new names to target. LeBron has made it harder for the Lakers to risk losing him, and Paul is publicly reminding this to the NBA world.
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