Lakers: Rich Paul Addresses Future Of LeBron James In LA

LBJ's longtime agent responds to trade chatter.

Though the slumping Los Angeles Lakers have yet to live up to their preseason expectations, fans can rest assured that superstar forward LeBron James will not be forcing his way out of town via trade any time soon. At 16-16, the Lakers have not exactly lived up to their preseason expectations of being a championship-caliber club. But that doesn't mean James, making $41.2 million this season, is going to force his way to another roster this year.

James spoke recently about how the injury-plagued team has yet to be complete this season, and how the Lakers have "no idea" how good their roster can be if everyone is available. Unfortunately, the team's top-heavy roster construction leaves them with little breathing room in this respect.

The Athletic's Shams Charania popped onto the Pat McAfee show on Sirius XM Radio this morning to quell any speculation by frenzied fans that King James could be headed out of town. Here's the full clip:

"I heard directly from Rich Paul that LeBron James isn't leaving the Lakers.. this team just doesn't look it has the young legs that they need to have & they have been very active in the trade market" ~@ShamsCharania#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/BZEAMM6Zkb

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 22, 2021

"I spoke to LeBron's agent Rich Paul and he said that talk in itself is totally ridiculous. LeBron isn't leaving the Lakers," Charania said. "This team doesn't look it has the young legs that they need to have and that's why I've heard that they have been  active in the trade market. When you look at a guy like Ben Simmons, they'd love to get a guy like him [or Detroit Pistons forward] Jerami Grant."

Whether or not the Lakers could offer a trade package worthy of bringing back a player the caliber of Simmons (a client of Rich Paul's, not incidentally) or Grant is a different story. In making their all-in move to acquire ex-All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook and his $44.2 million contract this summer, the Lakers sacrificed a lot of their trade equity, between the movable contracts of Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell, and their 2021 draft pick. 

The thinking was obvious: the Lakers wanted to create their own Big Three, around James, Anthony Davis, and Westbrook, in much the same way James constructed his championship Miami Heat teams with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh a decade ago. The 2021-22 Lakers sure don't resemble the Heat squads that ruled the league from 2010-2014.

To add Grant, who is earning $20 million this season, Los Angeles would presumably need to include the $9.5 million contract of underwhelming 21-year-old swingman Talen Horton-Tucker and the $5 million of still-injured combo guard Kendrick Nunn, plus one of their players on a veteran's minimum (and probably a future draft pick). To add Simmons, currently making $33 million this year, LA would quite possibly have to surrender Westbrook and his bloated salary.