Robert Marvi, LeBron WireThu, January 15, 2026 at 3:30 AM UTC·2 min readThis week, during an episode of his "Game Over" podcast, Rich Paul, LeBron James' longtime agent, suggested that the Los Angeles Lakers should consider trading Austin Reaves to acquire Memphis Grizzlies center Jaren Jackson Jr. It led to some people criticizing the agent and surmising that perhaps that suggestion came from James.
James is infamously passive aggressive, and therefore, it makes sense that people would have their suspicions about Paul's suggestion. But it also doesn't necessarily mean that the suggestion was fed to Paul by James.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPer ESPN, James insisted after the Lakers' 141-116 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday that Paul's trade suggestion was Paul's idea and that he had nothing to do with it.
"I think you all know by now, Rich is his own man and what Rich says is not a direct reflection of me and how I feel," James told ESPN on his way out of Crypto.com Arena. "And I hope people know that. I hope people know that and if they're not sensible to know that, then I don't know what to tell them."
Paul is the CEO of Klutch Sports, the agency that represents James and a large handful of other NBA players. Jackson is represented by Creative Artists Agency.
"Rich, that's what he's doing," James told ESPN. "That's his whole thing. That's what he's doing. That's what he's talking about, but I have zero conversations about what his topics are going to be or what they are going to talk about. He is his own man and that is his platform."
For the last few years, James has, from all outward appearances, liked and trusted Reaves, especially ever since Reaves had his coming-out party during the 2023 playoffs. He also commented on his relationship with the guard.
"AR knows how I feel about him," James told ESPN. "All you got to do is look at us on the bench. Me and AR talk every single day. So, AR knows how I feel about him and I hope AR -- or his camp -- don't look at me and think this is words from me are coming through Rich.
"Rich has his perspective of what he sees, I have my perspective. I'm a grown man, he's a grown man and I think people should realize that grown men can say whatever the [expletive] they want to say and it shouldn't reflect somebody else is saying it."
Reaves is averaging 26.6 points and 6.3 assists a game while shooting 50.7% from the field and 36.5% from 3-point range so far this season. He's currently dealing with a gastrocnemius strain that's expected to keep him sidelined for at least a couple more weeks.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: LeBron James comments on Rich Paul's Austin Reaves trade suggestion
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