via Marc Stein’s recent substack
It is believed that the Lakers would have reluctantly entertained trade conversations with the Warriors before last February’s trade deadline if James wanted them to seriously engage Golden State on a potential deal. Yet league sources say that the reported talks between the teams at the time never got that far in large part because James’ agent Rich Paul was adamantly opposed to the idea of LeBron James swapping Southern California for Northern California. Sources say Rich 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.
by BobRoss4Life
18 Comments
Warriors: Hey Bron, you want to come to Golden State:
LeBron: No
Sports Journalist: Now that’s a good story!
As a lakers/LeBron fan, I would love to see Steph and LeBron play just one season together. I still believe even at this point in their careers that’s an automatic ring, probably the best pairing in NBA history that never played together.
Sadly, it won’t ever happen
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non-story
Fuckin hater. That woulda be heaven on earth
Bron stepped on his own dick here. Warriors were very likely his last chance at contending and keeping his salary. They also could’ve drafted Bronny
As critical of the GSW front office as I’ve been, at least they tried to improve. Can’t say the same for the Lakers.
Curry standing around watching LeBron James play a game of catch with his son is not the coda anyone wants for Steph’s swan song.
Steph said in a podcast that playing with LeBron in the All Star game and Olympics was already good enough. They aren’t teaming up in the NBA
Okay well big ups to Lebron for seeing the vision and wanting it. He’s Teflon when it comes to backlash and if he really wanted it he would have made it happen, but he would have wanted to be courted by Steph and the rest, and I can’t blame him.
Rich Paul advised Bron to do “the Decision” and then “the return home”, then “Hollywood” and now it’s a bad idea to leave LA?
It’s cool that they don’t resent each other like Isaiah and Jordan did. At the same time it’s better for their legacies if they just didn’t team up imo.
Rich Paul once again failing his players under contract. Has he made any decisions that have either gotten his players more money than expected or actually place his players in winning teams (Lebron excepted)?
Warriors should have drafted Bronny and forced the deal with LeBron.
Bless his heart then.
So the agent taking heat for what the client wants but won’t say out loud. Doing his job
Thanks Rich!
Steph shot this down long ago.
Pointless prediction: the both win their fifth ring next year.