The Los Angeles Lakers got back into the win column on Tuesday evening with a blowout victory over the Atlanta Hawks, with both Luka Doncic and LeBron James playing on the second night of a back-to-back. Meanwhile, rumors have been swirling around the Lakers after Klutch Sports agent Rich Paul publicly suggested that the team trade Austin Reaves, currently out of the lineup due to injury, to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Jaren Jackson Jr.
Paul made the comments on the “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman, and one person who evidently didn't take too kindly to the trade suggestion was Reaves' agent, Reggie Berry.
“One of Reaves' agents, Reggie Berry of AMR Agency, approached Paul on the sideline near half court at halftime of the Lakers-Hawks game Tuesday. The two spoke for more than five minutes and the topic of conversation was Paul's public trade scenario regarding Reaves, sources told ESPN,” reported Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com.
Rich Paul has been known throughout the years to publicly leverage in order to get his clients to new destinations, and so it should come as no surprise that Reaves' agents would not be too appreciative of his latest suggestion.
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Meanwhile, Paul is largely viewed as a professional mouthpiece for Lakers star LeBron James, but James clarified that Paul's stance on Reaves is not his own.
“Rich is his own man and what Rich says is not a direct reflection of me and how I feel,” James said, per McMenamin. “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.”
Overall, it remains to be seen if anything will materialize on the Reaves trade front, but the Lakers could certainly use a player like Jackson Jr., who would bring them a lot more defensive versatility than they currently have on their roster.