“There’s nobody in the NBA that doesn’t think LeBron isn’t running the team” - David Falk says LeBron James isn’t helping himself, believes LeBron needs a professional GM working with him
LeBron James has often been blamed for LA Lakers' woes. He has not been singled out for his performances on the court, but for his decision-making off the court. He is rumored to have been the enforcer of the signing of Russell Westbrook to the franchise.
James' special talents and achievements have earned him respect from across the league. One such advantage is that LeBron James has the full attention of the top management of the franchise. This attention has provided him with the opportunity to be the deciding factor for the front office's recruitment resolution.
His importance to the franchise is a single factor that affords him that much power. While it is yet to be proven, the power wielded by the four-time NBA champion can be said to be equal to that of a general manager. Some people believe LeBron James is just that for the Lakers and practically runs the franchise. One such person is David Falk.
"There's nobody in the NBA who doesn't think LeBron isn't running the team... I don't think he's helping himself truthfully."
— David Falk on the state of the Lakers https://t.co/I5ZVR2EKK7
The super agent is known to have been the agent to some notable names within the NBA. Some of them are Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson. He believes that everyone in the NBA knows Bron runs the team, from trades to player extensions and the like.
"LeBron is a very special player. There's no one in the NBA who doesn't think LeBron is running the team," Falk stated. "That he's overseeing player extensions, he's overseeing trades and to a large extent that he's even involved in the negotiations for some of the players."
"I'm a big fan of LeBron," he continued. "I think he's earned his due, but there's an expression in law that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client."
David Falk believes LeBron James could win the title with a professional general manager working with him
Rob Pelinka is the LA Lakers' current vice president of basketball operations and general manager of the franchise. He was recruited to be the GM of the Lakers on March 7, 2017, but was later promoted to the vice president of basketball operations position on January 10, 2020. He did that while still being the general manager of the purple and gold franchise.
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Prior to his appointment in 2017, Pelinka was an agent and owned a sporting agency called The Landmark Sports Agency. The agency was home to Kobe Bryant, Andre Iguodala, Buddy Hield, Channing Fyre and James Harden to say the least.
Falk had insinuated that the Lakers needed a professional general manager to help get the team working again. He stated that agents won't make it being players and in the same vein, players won't make it being general managers, and as such a line needs to be drawn.
"I don't think agents will make it very well as players in the NBA and I don't think players necessarily are qualified to be general manager," Falk said. "So I think there needs to be a line drawn."
He believes that the key to LeBron James winning more titles rests on him letting a professional general manager take the reins and work with him in creating a team around him to do just that.
"And I don't think LeBron is helping himself truthfully, doing that because he's in the tail of his career. He wants to win a few more rings to get the conversation about who's the goat. And I think he should have a professional general manager, work with him to create a team around him that could win the title."