On paper, the Los Angeles Lakers are doing well. They are 17-6 and in second place in the Western Conference.
After returning from injury, LeBron James has gradually come back to life, averaging 17.6 points and 7.6 assists. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic is in his prime during his first full season with the Lakers, averaging 35.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game. Austin Reaves has surged into prominence, averaging 28.4 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per game.
With all those pieces in place, what could be wrong? Well, to hear LeBron's agent Rich Paul say it, they don't have enough to go far in the playoffs.
On Tuesday, Paul told Max Kellerman on their podcast “Game Over” that the Lakers aren't in a position to make the Western Conference Finals, per Jacob Rude of Silver Screen and Roll.
Essentially, Paul argues that the Lakers aren't contenders in the way they are used to being and need to make upgrades.
Paul: “I, personally, don’t think the Lakers are good enough to be contenders right now. Not right now.”
Kellerman: “When you say contenders, what do you mean?”
Paul: “I don’t think they have enough to get to the Western Conference Finals. I don’t think they have enough to contend from that perspective right now.”
Kellerman: “So, OKC is in a class by themselves…Put them aside for a second. You think the Lakers don’t fit in with the rest of the pack? They got the second-best record in the conference.”
Paul: “We’ve seen that before. It doesn’t mean anything.”
Rich Paul is essentially following in LeBron's footsteps
Throughout his career, LeBron has made it a point to pressure organizations to bolster their rosters for his benefit. Recently, he exercised a $52.6 million player option to play another year with the Lakers, with the help of Rich Paul.
Thus forcing the organization to seek additional talent. While with Cleveland, he and his team forced them to sign massive contracts and pay luxury tax penalties to build a championship-caliber team.
It panned out in 2016 when the Cavaliers brought home a championship after defeating the Warriors. LeBron had J.R. Smith, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love at his side, and neither of them came cheap.
Also, LeBron and the team played a role in bringing Russell Westbrook to LA from 2021 to 2023, forcing general manager Rob Pelinka to take risks and make those kinds of moves.
Fast-forward to today, and Paul, as well as James, is ostensibly following a consistent pattern. Looking at the Lakers' makeup, they could use a few more top players, particularly on the defensive side.
Overall, LA has issues when it comes to communication, poor transition defense, and not enough protection in the paint. Plus, they are not one of the most physically imposing teams in the league.
Yes the additions of Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton can help, but it is more of a band-aid. While James, Doncic, and Reaves excel offensively, their defensive consistency is inconsistent.
Then there is the issue of team culture. Paul has said before that the Lakers lack a so-called “Heat culture,” referring to LeBron's time with Miami playing with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, in which they won two championships.
In other words, they played with a sense of urgency to win, and the Lakers don't have that right now. So, surrounding James with players who possess that same mindset should be a priority.
Altogether, Rich Paul is saying to the Lakers what LeBron James isn't saying. If you want me to keep playing, surround me with more top players.
It worked before; it could work again.
