Rich Paul Sends Clear Warning: LeBron, Lakers Face Defining Moment
The Los Angeles Lakers’ recent struggles haven’t just shown up in the standings — they’ve sparked honest, behind-the-scenes conversations about how the team is actually playing. Amid injuries, defensive breakdowns and four losses in six games, one sideline moment during a win over the Memphis Grizzlies quietly highlighted what the Lakers believe must change if they’re going to steady themselves.
During that game, Rich Paul, longtime agent of LeBron James, shared that he and James had an in-game discussion centered on execution. Speaking later on Game Over with Max Kellerman, Paul explained he was watching closely — not as a fan, but analytically — focusing on spacing, reads and timing. When LeBron came over, the two compared what they were seeing on the floor.
That conversation connected directly to recent comments from head coach JJ Redick, who had openly expressed frustration after practice about how poorly the team was running plays, particularly out of timeouts. Paul told James he’d noticed the offense flowed better when it was simplified — when players moved quickly into catch-and-shoot situations instead of forcing difficult, improvised looks.
Paul used Luka Dončić as a key example. He pointed out that Dončić is often most efficient when he’s getting clean catch-and-shoot chances, rather than having to create every shot off the dribble. That idea showed up late in the game: Dončić knocked down a catch-and-shoot three, followed by a step-back, while he and James leaned heavily on pick-and-roll action. With James setting smart, angled screens, the Lakers repeatedly forced favorable matchups, including switches involving Memphis forward Jaylen Wells.
Redick’s blunt assessment — that only a few called plays were being executed correctly — clearly landed. James later labeled the team’s earlier after-timeout failures “unacceptable.” In the next meeting with the Memphis Grizzlies, the Los Angeles Lakers showed tangible progress, cutting their blown ATO plays from eight down to one. James described it as a complete turnaround.
Whether that improvement becomes the norm is the real test — but for now, the message is clear: cleaner execution, simpler offense, and sharper focus are no longer optional if the Lakers want to look like a contender again.
Latest News
