The recent revival of TrueHoop has brought along memories of wonderful stories from the underbelly of NBA basketball, in its inaugural re-awakening, Henry Abbott explains just how much LeBron James has had to do with the re-invention of not just the Los Angeles Lakers, but of basketball altogether.

“A source who once worked closely with LeBron James told me that the most underreported story in the NBA is the degree to which LeBron is a control freak,” wrote Abbott. “No player has done half of what LeBron has done to take over. Case in point: Until not that long ago, agents exerted a lot of control over where their clients played. Now, LeBron owns the agency.

“Working the controls has come with infinite benefits and one rock in the King’s shoe: It’s easy to blame the boss. In January, when Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis took the extraordinary step of publicly demanding a trade, it was hard not to wonder: Was LeBron behind this? It’s hard to imagine that being asked of any other player ever, but no other player has ever been so good at working the channels of power.”

LeBron James has been the pioneer of many things — from being the first NBA player to have a free agency special with him front and center, to being the first to find several loopholes in the letter of the law, working under the umbrella of Klutch Sports, owned and operated by his longtime friend and business partner Rich Paul.

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While James doesn't have ownership of Klutch, a very close friend and longtime confidant does, making his best interests James' as well. In a short period since its emergence, Klutch has already garnered some of the most notable names in the sport, including James, Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons, and now even Draymond Green.

James isn't violating any laws of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, but his fingerprints are as etched into the machinations of the Lakers as many have come to realize after what took place before the trade deadline.