NBA insider reveals Rich Paul blocked LeBron James' Warriors trade over 'backlash' fears
LeBron James was once the main asset of a blockbuster trade that would transfer him to the Golden State Warriors before last season’s trade deadline. However, talks did not get off the ground as James’ agent Rich Paul reportedly opposed the idea that would pair him up with former rival Steph Curry.
Per the insider Marc Stein on his Substack channel, Paul was “adamantly opposed” to the proposal, expressing his concern on the potential public backlash against his client, who would have joined his fourth team in his illustrious NBA career.
"Sources say Paul implored both teams to scrap the concept — despite some owner-to-owner dialogue between the Warriors' Joe Lacob and the Lakers' Jeanie Buss and Green's determination to lobby James to push for relocation to the Bay Area — largely because he wanted to insulate James from potential backlash over switching teams for the fourth time in his career," Stein wrote.
The report, however, did not disclose any more details about the potential trade, which could have impacted the previous season, considering that the Lakers and the Warriors were both play-in teams.
The lost deal would have paired James with Curry before their Olympic stint in Paris last week. It would have also ended James’ six-year run with the Lakers, and could have sparked a new dynasty in Golden State alongside Curry.
Nevertheless, James and Curry did eventually team up to win the gold medal for Team USA in the Paris Olympics, marking their first-ever collaboration as teammates following years of NBA finals rivalry.
Now that the deal has fizzled out, the idea of James transferring to another team has become bleak, as he is set to play with his son, Bronny, after the Lakers picked him 55th overall in this year’s NBA draft.
They are expected to play together on the court at some point next season and will officially become the first father-son duo in league history.
Rich Paul says LeBron and Bronny James is not a package deal
Earlier in the offseason, Rich Paul was also involved in the pre-draft anticipation for Bronny James. Before the Lakers selected the younger James in the draft, Paul stated that there was no presumed new contract for LeBron if Bronny were to be drafted. Eventually, LeBron James did sign a new contract after his son was selected. Paul stated:
"LeBron is off this idea of having to play with Bronny," Paul said on ESPN. "If he does, he does. But if he doesn't, he doesn't. There's no deal made that it's guaranteed that if the Lakers draft Bronny at No. 55, [LeBron] will re-sign. If that was the case, I would force them to take him at 17. We don't need leverage.”
Paul also facilitated James’ decision for a two-year, $104 million extension with the Lakers before the Team USA’s Olympics training camp.
The deal will allow him to play for his 22nd season, tying the most ever by a player. If James opts in to the deal’s second year, he would be the longest-tenured player in the NBA.