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USA Today
26-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Rich Paul pushes back on the narrative of LeBron James as a shadow GM
Rich Paul pushes back on the narrative of LeBron James as a shadow GM Those who tend to dislike or even hate LeBron James claim that he has an outsized amount of influence on the personnel decisions of his teams. He does have a reputation for supposedly strong-arming his teams, albeit in a passive-aggressive way, to make certain personnel moves, and it has even led to some nicknaming him "LeGM." One example that is often cited is the Los Angeles Lakers' 2021 trade for Russell Westbrook. It cost them viable role players in Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell, and it led to a disastrous 2021-22 season during which they failed to reach the play-in tournament. According to at least one report, James and Anthony Davis met with Westbrook prior to the trade and talked about how the three could play effectively together. It is thought that James then sold Lakers executive Rob Pelinka, who had at least one other move lined up, on trading for Westbrook, causing Pelinka to call off any other major moves. During an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show," Rich Paul, James' longtime agent and the CEO of Klutch Sports, pushed back on the narrative that James pushes teams to acquire the players he wants. "And that's false," Paul claimed. "I can say that because I'm there and when you think about that and that narrative people don't think about the impact that that has off the court. It hurts friendships, guys that play on teams because they feel like, 'Hey, I may have been traded and it's because you wanted me out of here.' I know that it's not to be true. Clearly he don't run the team because there's things that transpired that he didn't even know about, so how is he running the team? The Westbrook trade. He didn't make that trade, contrary to what people try to put out there. He did not make that trade, and I know that for a fact. So I think those things are…there's one thing to have power and influence, and there are guys who earned the right for some decisions to be ran past you or for some teams to say, 'Hey, what do you think about this?' "We can't confuse someone asking a player for an opinion and that being the decision that's being made. Those are two separate things, and I deal with all of them, players and offices. Those are two separate things. I don't think players are in the position to make a specific decision all the time due to the fact that they're not doing the diligence that the front offices are doing to even make that decision. Because it's one thing to date somebody, it's another thing to live with them." It is thought that the trade that sent Anthony Davis and Max Christie to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic sent James and Paul a message that they don't have influence over the Lakers. Now, after a few years of purgatory following the Westbrook deal, the Purple and Gold are on the verge of becoming true championship contenders, assuming James, who has a player option for next season, sticks around.
USA Today
24-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
LeBron James' agent Rich Paul reacts to David Falk's comments
LeBron James' agent Rich Paul reacts to David Falk's comments Earlier this week at a Sports Business Journal conference, David Falk, who made his name as an agent by representing NBA legend Michael Jordan, said that in his opinion, Jordan is the greatest of all time (G.O.A.T.) and that either Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Kobe Bryant is the second-greatest player ever. But Falk also gave a juicy quote when he said that Jordan, who played 15 seasons in the NBA, would've won 15 world championships had he jumped from team to team and partnered up with two other superstars the way LeBron James has. Obviously, the debate of whether James or Jordan is the greater player or has had greater accomplishments is a very hot one. Rich Paul, James' agent and the CEO of Klutch Sports, went on "The Rich Eisen Show" to clap back at Falk's comment, and he seemed to accuse Falk of being a hypocrite. 'The cherry picking terminology of it all, coming from someone who literally had John Thompson, Dean Smith, and Mike Krzyzewski supporting his business, putting superstar athletes in his lap. I think he was part of the cherry clan,' Paul said. 'I just thought it was very unfair and a little beneath David Falk for a number of reasons. We can't have revisionist history, and we all want to determine who's the G.O.A.T and who's the best and so on and so forth. But I just thought that was a little beneath David to say that.' Paul then elaborated further while talking about the different circumstances Jordan played under. "When you look at that, right, again the cherry-pick, I've discussed that. The two other superstars - Michael never had to leave," Paul said. "Michael's never been the underdog in any Finals. Not one time. Michael never had a 24-hour, 365 news cycle. He never had shows built strictly to criticize him. People made millions of dollars criticizing LeBron James. That was their entire job. "And when you talk about the difficulty of it all, Michael played for Dean Smith, Michael played for Phil Jackson, and Michael had Jerry Krause. I'm the biggest Michael Jordan fan ever, love Michael Jordan, and I don't think Michael Jordan would've used the term 'cherry-pick,' so I'm not up here to discredit Michael Jordan. I think Michael Jordan transcended our game to a level that we all benefitted from." Switching teams every several years and teaming up with one or two other future Hall of Famers is a big part of James' legacy, whether one wants to view it in a positive or negative way. There is a perception that once he came to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, he got Anthony Davis to force his way to Los Angeles by demanding a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans. James was also reportedly the impetus behind the Lakers trading for Russell Westbrook in 2021, although that trade became a disaster. There is even some talk that he had a role in L.A. swapping Davis for Luka Doncic in February, although there is no evidence to support that claim. While the Chicago Bulls struggled during Jordan's early years in the NBA, they were in the process of adding talent, including Hall of Fame forward Scottie Pippen. Once Jackson became their head coach and Pippen matured into a star, the Bulls won it all in each season that Jordan played a full season for them. Even though countless people have always tried to compare Jordan to James, in reality, their careers, games and circumstances have been very different.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Skip Bayless Claims LeBron James Faked Injury To Avoid Media Backlash For Early Playoff Exit
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James found himself on the chopping block yet again as Skip Bayless returned to strike down the Lakers' star. In a recent post of "The Skip Bayless Show", Bayless claimed that James and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul concocted a story involving an injury to protect James from media backlash. "Another Lebron playoff flameout, in Los Angeles, mostly uncriticized, followed by another leaked and planted excuse for said flameout. He and his inner circle did it again, Rich Paul, you are the all-time greatest at excuse planting with key media members." Advertisement "Congrats on this coup you just pulled off, Rich Paul," continued the host, addressing that he laughed after reading ESPN's report about James' injury. He built upon this by saying, "A long-time NBA trainer I know very well immediately texted me, soon after this story was posted, and he said to me in the text, 'You cannot have a Grade 2 MCL sprain and come back in a game.' You can't." Bayless' claims are based on his source, and to some extent, there is no further evidence on the matter. However, the analyst continues to find ways to fault James for every minute action he makes. What cannot be ignored, however, is the Lakers' first-round exit from the playoffs and James' recent losing record in the postseason. The loss to the T'Wolves caps off a series of poor outings for the Lakers forward. With a 2-12 record over the last three seasons, it is clear that James is not enjoying the same postseason success that he did early in his career. Advertisement This season's failures could be attributed to several things. But it was clear that the problems lay in the Lakers' roster makeup and their inability to execute when it mattered most. The offseason raises a lot of concerns for the Lakers regarding their future, particularly with James in the picture. Although the initial response by the forward gave no information about his status for the next season, it is widely believed that he could wait another season to play with his son, Bryce. In such a case, the Purple and Gold will be required to strategize their approach towards roster construction as well. With the team being built around Luka Doncic, the Lakers are inevitably building for the future. However, James' contract emerges as a huge factor in this scenario. James will be owed $52 million if he decides to opt into his contract. This reduces the Lakers' cap flexibility significantly. Although there have been suggestions that James should opt out of his contract and take a pay cut, there has been no indication of what the forward will do. Advertisement Although the forward had a disappointing end to the season, he still managed to record some solid stats, emerging as a relevant contributor even in Year 22. With 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game in the 2024-25 season, the 21x All-Star remains a paragon of longevity. Related: Rich Paul Believes The 2025 Lakers With LeBron And Luka Didn't Have A Championship Roster
Bloomberg
14-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Sports Agent Rich Paul Backs New Media Company Homecoming
A former Nike Inc. and Beats by Dre executive is launching a new media company, Homecoming, focusing on video podcasts that aim to be at the center of sports, business and culture. Paul Rivera, a longtime friend and collaborator of LeBron James, plans to offer flagship shows, original content, live events and merchandise with the new venture. The operation is backed by high-powered sports agent Rich Paul, founder and chief executive officer of Klutch Sports Group and Klutch Athletics.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
LeBron James's longtime agent Rich Paul says NBA star could own a team
Listen and subscribe to Opening Bid on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. SANTA MONICA, Calif. — NBA great LeBron James as a team owner? Don't rule it out, his longtime agent and confidant said. "I mean, he's came out and said it," Klutch Sports founder and CEO Rich Paul said on Yahoo Finance's Opening Bid podcast (video above; listen in below) at the Milken Institute Global Conference. This embedded content is not available in your region. "But at the same time, what does that actually mean? Right? You're talking about an industry now in which owning a team cost billions," Paul added. "Is it a good investment? Is it not a good investment? We don't know. I know it was for those who got in early. Will these teams continue to grow? Will they continue to reach the value that they have to?" Paul is seen as one of the most powerful agents in sports. His first big client was James. The two met in 2002 at the Akron-Canton Airport, where a young James was impressed by a jersey Paul was wearing. Numbers were exchanged, and the two stayed in close contact. Paul went on to found Klutch Sports in 2012 in Cleveland, with James becoming a client. Klutch Sports now represents more than 300 athletes and is responsible for inking more than $400 billion in contracts. Other big-name clients Paul represents include NBA star Draymond Green and NFL phenom Jalen Hurts. Talent agency UTA made an undisclosed investment in Klutch Sports in 2019 — Paul is now the head of UTA Sports as well. All eyes are on what James, 40, decides to do after a surprise ouster in the first round of the playoffs. James has a $52 million player option for the 2025-2026 season with the LA Lakers. The Ohio native is the first active NBA player to make the billionaires list in 2022. He has made investments in everything from Blaze Pizza to Fenway Sports Group, the ownership company of the Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Liverpool FC. Paul said James is in no rush to become an even bigger investor, as he still enjoys playing basketball at the highest level. "I think he'll cross that bridge when he gets to it," Paul said. "That guy loves the game of basketball so much. I think it's going to be extremely hard for him to exist in a world that doesn't involve him playing the game." Read more about what business leaders and top political figures are saying at the 2025 Milken Institute Global Conference: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent aims to soothe nerves of international investors Bill Ackman: Trump tariffs on China should be paused and taken down Private equity titan Robert Smith: Tech stocks are still the place to be Apollo CEO: I don't agree with Warren Buffett on tariffs Mattel CEO on Trump tariffs: We'll raise prices and shift where we produce Three times each week, Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi fields insight-filled conversations and chats with the biggest names in business and markets on Opening Bid. You can find more episodes on our video hub or watch on your preferred streaming service. Brian Sozzi is Yahoo Finance's Executive Editor. Follow Sozzi on X @BrianSozzi, Instagram and on LinkedIn. Tips on stories? Email Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
