Admittedly, this is a few days late. At the same time, it’s something the Utah Jazz and their fanbase should pay close attention to. Rich Paul, LeBron James’ friend and agent, caused quite a stir earlier this week when he discussed the prospect of the Los Angeles Lakers trading Austin Reaves. If this continues, it could push Reaves further away from LA and into the fold of Utah.
To recap, Paul recently went out and floated the idea of the Lakers trading Reaves to the Memphis Grizzlies for Jaren Jackson Jr. podcast with Max Kellerman. Whether you think that’s a good trading idea or not, the fact is that Paul is not an analyst. He’s an agent who represents players who play for the Lakers, so putting out an idea like that isn’t the best move.
Not only did this spark kick back, but… ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that it prompted Reaves’ agent to talk to Paul about it afterwards. Paul has since been clarified that he meant no ill will toward Reaves, but didn’t actually apologize for what he said, nor did he promise not to discuss a Reaves transaction again, leaving it very much open to interpretation as to whether this issue has truly been set aside.
If Paul talks about Reaves again, it could help the Jazz
Since becoming a public figure, Paul has never been one to shy away from controversy. Granted, that’s part of representing LeBron, but at the same time, Paul has acted like he’s bulletproof. To be honest, he pretty much isbut that doesn’t mean his behavior can’t be harmful to the teams his clients play for.
The funny thing is that floating Reaves for Jackson isn’t really a bad idea, but it’s where the idea came from and that’s the problem. Making this statement while representing Reaves’ teammates risks creating tension between him and the team. The Lakers have some tough decisions to make because in a perfect world they want to keep both Reaves and LeBron, but those two will be expensive.
If Paul is talking about the Lakers trading Reaves again, that could make the situation even worse, potentially pushing Reaves out the door. The young Lakers star has expressed his loyalty to the Lakers, and it sounds like the desire to keep him in LA is mutual between him and the team’s front office. However, if Paul continues to bring up the Reaves trade, it could cast serious doubt on whether they can keep him.
The Jazz want Reaves. That’s been known for a while, as they have both the cap room and added incentive to acquire him from the Lakers. If this Paul drama only intensifies, it will increase their chances of getting Reaves this summer. Right now the odds are low, but the more Paul talks about this situation, the better the odds become.
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