Latest news with #RichPaul
USA Today
24-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
LeBron James' agent Rich Paul on how much longer James will play in the NBA
LeBron James' agent Rich Paul on how much longer James will play in the NBA This season, LeBron James played excellent basketball as usual despite turning 40 years of age and being in his 22nd year in the NBA. But his Los Angeles Lakers lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games, which was pretty surprising, especially considering many felt they had a real shot at reaching the NBA Finals. Following that playoff elimination, James was asked how much longer he plans to keep playing, and he said he couldn't give an answer. He has a player option for next season, and most expect him to remain with the Lakers for at least one more year. Rich Paul, James' longtime agent, made an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show" and said he has "no idea" how much longer the four-time MVP will stay in the league. 'I have no idea. Zero," said Paul. "Normally, our process is you kind of weigh everything and see how he's feeling and all those types of things. Same process it's been for the last I don't know how many years. He'll come around to what he's thinking at some point and we'll kind of go over some things and go from there.' James said after L.A.'s final playoff game that he will discuss his basketball future with his family at some point. He is in a favorable position as far as having a shot at his fifth NBA championship. The Lakers now have the 26-year-old Luka Doncic, and they're very intent on addressing their very weak center rotation, as well as improving their wing depth this offseason. Successfully doing both could very well result in the storied franchise's 18th world title next June, as well as another notch on James' belt, assuming he returns for his 23rd campaign.
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
LeBron James' future with the Los Angeles Lakers remains unclear as agent Rich Paul admits 'I have no idea'
(Image Source - Getty Images) LeBron James , who holds the record as the NBA's all-time leading scorer and has won four championships, is currently at a significant crossroads in his impressive career. At 40 years old and after 22 seasons, the Los Angeles Lakers star is still undecided about whether to retire or play another season. His agent, Rich Paul, recently said, "I have no idea," emphasizing the ambiguity surrounding James' future. As the offseason continues, both fans and analysts are speculating about what lies ahead for the Lakers legend. Rich Paul on LeBron James' retirement plans During a straightforward chat on The Rich Eisen Show, Rich Paul, who heads Klutch Sports and has been friends with LeBron James for years, was questioned about the superstar's possible retirement. Paul's answer was straightforward: "I have no idea." He pointed out that the choice isn't related to James' physical state but rather his mental preparedness to keep playing. Paul also mentioned that right now, they're concentrating on the NBA Draft, where his younger clients are in the spotlight. LeBron James had a groundbreaking 2024–25 NBA season. He became the first player in NBA history to play in games as a teenager and also at 40 years old. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Đăng ký Undo On top of that, he made history by playing with his son, Bronny James, which is the first father-son duo in the league. Unfortunately, the Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves, which sparked questions about what's next for James with the team. Sources say there's a "frosty" vibe between LeBron James and the Lakers' front office, which might affect his choice to take the $52.6 million player option for the 2025–26 season. James has shown frustration over the team's inability to land a center, a point brought up by ex-teammate Anthony Davis before he moved to the Mavericks. Even with these issues, insiders think James will probably stick with the Lakers, but things are still up in the air. Also Read: Paul Pierce backs Tyrese Haliburton as the young star with the most to gain in 2025 LeBron James is at a pivotal moment in his iconic career. After an impressive 22 seasons in the NBA, deciding whether to retire or keep playing is a huge deal. Rich Paul's uncertainty shows just how complicated things are, but elements like family, physical health, and team relationships will definitely play a role in James' decision. As the offseason moves forward, fans of basketball are on the edge of their seats, waiting to see what one of the sport's legends will do next. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
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
USA Today
14-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Rich Paul on his initial expectations for LeBron, Luka Doncic
Rich Paul on his initial expectations for LeBron, Luka Doncic Plenty of people expected the Los Angeles Lakers to not only put away the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of this year's playoffs but also have a shot at winning the NBA championship. Instead, the Lakers lost in five games to the Timberwolves and were unable to solve multiple problems. Their biggest problems were a lack of size in their frontcourt and a lack of serviceable bench depth. In retrospect, perhaps people shouldn't have been so optimistic about the team's chances this season following the Luka Doncic trade. Rich Paul, the CEO of Klutch Sports and LeBron James' agent, said during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" that he didn't necessarily expect the Lakers to win it all right away (13:08). "Everyone was so gung-ho about Luka Doncic and LeBron James," Paul said. "I wasn't. I never thought that just having those two meant they were going to win the championship. Names don't win championships. Rosters do." Los Angeles badly needs a starting-caliber defensive center and improved guard and wing depth in order to have a real shot at basketball's grand prize next season. Some feel big changes could be in store for the team this offseason, but it could turn out that it simply needs to make some incremental changes in order to claim the Larry O'Brien Trophy next June.
Daily Mail
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Skip Bayless suggests LeBron James is faking MCL sprain and using it as 'excuse' for Lakers' playoff flameout
Veteran sports writer and personality Skip Bayless has been a well-known critic of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James throughout the 'King's' entire career. After the Lakers were eliminated at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Bayless decided to take a victory lap while also mocking James for an injury. Following the defeat, LeBron was seen limping out of Arena. Later, it was revealed that he had sprained his MCL. While the injury was severe enough that LeBron passed on attending the Met Gala that he was a co-chair for, Bayless didn't buy it. 'Another LeBron playoff flameout in Los Angeles. Followed by another leaked and planted excuse for said flameout,' Bayless gloated on his podcast. 'Yup, he and his inner circle just did it again. Rich Paul, you are the all-time greatest at excuse-planting with key media members. Never seen anything like this. 'I laughed out loud when I read the ESPN report that LeBron James has a "sprained medial collateral ligament" that will require three to five weeks of recovery. 'A longtime NBA trainer that I know very well, immediately texted me soon after the story was posted, and he said to me in the text, "You cannot have a grade two MCL sprain and come back in a game."' The Lakers loss is certainly not entirely on James, who led the team in points in their Game 3 defeat and led in at least one major statistical category in Games 1, 3 and 4. Even on the injured knee, James logged 40 minutes and dropped 22 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. The seven rebounds are tied for the most on the team that night with Luka Doncic and Jarred Vanderbilt. James will turn 40 next season, meaning that we are currently in the twilight of his professional career.
