Report: LeBron’s Agent Added To Lakers Drama By Complaining To Adam Silver About Wanting Luke Walton Replaced

The Los Angeles Lakers became terrifyingly dysfunctional, and fans blame general manager Rob Pelinka, now-former president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and team-owner Jeanie Buss for the current situation of the team. LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul, got involved, too.

ESPN’s Baxter Holmes released an extensive report, suggesting that Paul wasn’t happy with head coach Luke Walton early in the season. According to him, Paul wasn’t the right person for the position. Walton is out of the team, but Paul’s comments sure made things worse.

“In November, NBA commissioner Adam Silver and Maverick Carter, LeBron’s longtime business partner, met for lunch,” Holmes reported. “James’ agent, Rich Paul, was seated at a nearby table, and at one point, approached Silver to complain about Walton, multiple sources familiar with the interaction told ESPN. Paul said he didn’t believe Walton was the right coach for the Lakers. Silver shrugged off the remark and asked whom Paul thought would be the right coach. Paul suggested Tyronn Lue.

“Paul was also letting it be known through back-channel conversations, including those with reporters, that he wasn’t on board with Walton. Paul criticized how Walton allotted minutes to players and his inconsistent lineups, which were partly the result of injuries and suspensions. Members of the Lakers’ coaching staff became aware of those conversations and wondered whether Johnson’s heated meeting with Walton was influenced by Paul.”

LeBron tries to convince everyone that he has nothing to do with the decisions in the front office. Paul was also on the team’s private charter plane throughout the season, and some members of the franchise didn’t like it.

“Coaching staff and others close to the team told ESPN there would continue to be an increased presence by Paul and Klutch Sports in ways that seemed strange to them. For instance, three Lakers sources familiar with team travel details independently told ESPN that Paul rode on the Lakers’ charter plane on multiple occasions this season, an act that front-office executives, other NBA general managers and other agents around the league said is highly unusual — if not unheard of.  

“’Coaches know Rich is trying to get them fired, and players know Rich is trying to get them traded,’ said one agent with ties to the Lakers, who called Paul’s presence on the plane ‘destructive.’”