Los Angeles Lakers: ESPN story shines light on Magic Johnson, team dysfunction
By Ronald Agers
Rich Paul actually complained to Adam Silver about Luke Walton while he was eating dinner!
Okay, if you actually paid attention to LeBron James’ career, getting coaches fired is definitely a part of the man’s history. When Lake Show Life broke down LeBron’s entire coaching cancellation carousel, it was written with the understanding that Luke Walton tenure would be a year at the most.
LeBron James has his ways of controlling the narrative. This is no secret. He has his ways of getting his message across. Have you heard anything from him directly about the chaos surrounding the Lakers? No. How about Magic Johnson’s resignation? No.
He’ll take that to his HBO TV program, The Shop! Hey folks, in the media May is known as the rating period. Gotta get those numbers up. That’s why I stated that Magic Johnson did not owe LeBron James an explanation.
Now it seems that Rich Paul takes LeBron’s issues to the top of the food chain.
No, not Jeanie Buss! Adam Silver, the NBA commissioner. Yes Lakers fans, it’s true. According to the ESPN piece, Rich Paul actually went to Adam Silver while he was having lunch with Maverick Carter, LeBron’s business partner, about Walton’s minute distributions, substitution patterns and lineups.
Lakers fans this happened in November, November!
Couple this with the Anthony Davis mess that went on in February, Rich Paul seemed to irritate Jeanie Buss. Even to the point that a decision was “considered” to trade LeBron James.
Why? Rich Paul.
Many Lakers employees deemed it strange for Rich Paul and Klutch Sports to have access to areas not normally given to agents. Chartered flights with the team was an issue that was disputed by Paul. He said he only did it on one occasion. Others said it was more. Who knows?
What it does show is that the power struggle within the organization is real. Lake Show Life laid it out in detail with the possible corporate takeover that LeBron James was practicing. Then the report discussed the issues throughout the entire organization. To put this in perspective, it was covered when Luke Walton stated that things were “good”.
Looking back, it can easily be seen why the Anthony Davis saga destroyed the locker room. There is no trust in this organization. The Los Angeles Lakers have to get somebody in the organization that commands respect based on trust.
According to ESPN, Rob Pelinka just is not the guy!