The list of players represented by Rich Paul joining the Los Angeles Lakers gets longer.
The Los Angeles Lakers did not have the chance to yet test their new acquisition, Dion Waiters. Before the 6’3″ guard could step on the floor, commissioner Adam Silver put the season on hiatus. Obviously, Silver had nothing against Waiters, but he had to take measures in order to avoid the spreading of coronavirus around the league.
This setback has been most hurtful for the Lakers and Waiters. With the total block of any basketball activity and the imposed quarantine, will not have the time, scrimmages nor games to develop the necessary chemistry to integrate him into the system.
Waiters’ time will come eventually if the season continues. However, his presence marks another interesting fact in Lakers Nation.
Agent Rich Paul did a good job of deploying his connections with the Lakers organization to put in motion a process that brought his clients Anthony Davis and LeBron James together in Los Angeles and later secured his other client, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Not much time passed before the Lakers, willingly or not, drafted Talon Horton-Tucker, who unsurprisingly hired Paul as his agent. The Klutch Sports founder built a powerhouse in Los Angeles, making sure his clients obtained a place and a sizeable contract on one of the favorite teams for the championship.
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Recently, in search of reinforcements for their bench on the free-agent market, the Lakers added yet another player represented by Rich Paul.
Waiters was the best option available on the market, then his connection to Paul should not have influenced the selection process. But, certainly, his entanglement smoothed the process and provided a further guarantor of his commitment and accountability.
What is most important for Paul’s reputation is he managed to collect four of his clients on the same team to fight for a championship. If they win, it would represent some great prestige for his agency and increase the power he has over professional basketball, which the NCAA already tried to put a stop to.
With more and more agents taking over GM jobs, Paul has already risen as the best agent in the game and his hold of the league keeps tightening more and more. He is building his fantasy team in Los Angeles and he is now shy of a player to have his lineup ready for Las Vegas.
At this point of the year, it seems the Lakers’ roster has taken form and with the interruption of the season the space of maneuver is increasingly reducing. However, as already reported, there is still time to add another piece and Paul has another ace in the hole. J.R. Smith, previously in contention with Dion Waiters for the last roster spot, and LeBron’s friend.