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LeBron James Distances Himself From Rich Paul’s Austin Reaves Trade Pitch as Reaves’ Agent Confronts Paul

Team insiders report displeasure with the agent’s on-air proposal.

Overview

  • On his Game Over podcast, Rich Paul suggested the Lakers trade Austin Reaves to the Grizzlies for Jaren Jackson Jr., arguing it would improve roster balance.
  • During the Lakers’ win over the Hawks, Reaves’ agent Reggie Berry approached Paul at halftime and spoke with him for more than five minutes about the remarks.
  • James told ESPN that Paul’s views are his own and reaffirmed his strong relationship with Reaves.
  • Reporters and an NBA executive described widespread frustration over the comments and raised concerns about an active agent publicly pitching trades.
  • There is no sign a deal is being pursued, and Reaves is expected to opt out of his $14.9 million player option this summer; Jackson laughed off the clip and initially wondered if it was AI.