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Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul clarified this week that he is not directly involved in Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James’ decision on whether to retire. Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show, Paul said he had “no idea” what James plans to do and emphasized that their focus remains on evaluating offseason priorities, including the upcoming NBA Draft and free agency.
“I have no idea, zero,” Paul said. “Right now I’m really focused on this draft… Normally our process is to weigh everything and see how he’s feeling.”
James, 40, is coming off his 22nd NBA season, during which he played 70 games and averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, 7.8 rebounds, and one steal per game while shooting 51.3% from the field and 37.6% from three-point range. He helped lead the Lakers to a 50-win season and finished sixth in MVP voting. However, Los Angeles was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games.
Following the series loss, James was diagnosed with a Grade 2 medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain in his left knee. The injury has added another layer of uncertainty regarding his future.
“Well, we know he’s dealing with the knee thing,” Paul noted. “It’s the same process it’s been for the last how many years… He’ll come around to what he’s thinking at some point and we’ll kind of go over some things and go from there.”
Rich Paul says LeBron James can play for years
As the Lakers enter a pivotal offseason, they face decisions on how to reshape the roster around James and Luka Doncic, who arrived at the trade deadline in a blockbuster deal. The front office is expected to explore multiple avenues to improve the supporting cast. James, who holds a $52.2 million player option for the 2025-26 season, may consider a pay cut to allow greater roster flexibility.
When asked whether he has spoken to James about retirement or how long he intends to keep playing, Paul said those conversations are not part of their regular dialogue.
“It’s early. No, I don’t have conversations like that,” Paul said. “I just go into each year like he’s continuing to play. I never even talk about that.”
Paul added that, in his view, James is still physically capable of playing at a high level for several more years.
“I always get asked this question,” he said. “I think physically he can play several more years. I don’t think it’s the physical aspect. I think it’s where you’re at mentally.”
Paul also recently responded to remarks from Michael Jordan’s former agent David Falk, who criticized James for “cherry-picking” teams during his career. Paul called the comments “unfair” and said the comparison between James and Jordan fails to account for the different circumstances each player faced.
