Rich Paul: LeBron James 'Off Idea Of Having To Play With' Bronny James

Post #1 » by **RealGM Wiretap** » Wed Jun 19, 2024 6:22 pm

LeBron James and Bronny James appear to have reached a place where they are more interested in what is best for their individual careers at this point of time rather than becoming teammates in a suboptimal situation.

LeBron James could become a free agent this offseason, which has led to speculation that a team drafting Bronny could also acquire LeBron.

"LeBron is off this idea of having to play with Bronny," Rich Paul told ESPN on Wednesday. "If he does, he does. But if he doesn't, he doesn't. There's no deal made that it's guaranteed that if the Lakers draft Bronny at 55, he [LeBron] will re-sign. If that was the case, I would force them to take him at 17. We don't need leverage. The Lakers can draft Bronny, and LeBron doesn't re-sign. LeBron is also not going to Phoenix for a minimum deal. We can squash that now."

Via Jonathan Givony/ESPN

Post #2 » by **luciano-davidwesley** » Wed Jun 19, 2024 8:30 pm

Agent speak for "Please don't draft Bronny if you aren't the Lakers or Suns"

tyler_rex · Post #3 » by **tyler_rex** » Wed Jun 19, 2024 10:15 pm

luciano-davidwesley wrote:Agent speak for "Please don't draft Bronny if you aren't the Lakers or Suns"

More like don’t think just because you draft my son I’m not going to join your team unless you are a team that can give me what I want financially and I already have thought about joining your team

SkyBill40 · Post #4 » by **SkyBill40** » Wed Jun 19, 2024 11:16 pm

No Suns fan I know wants either of the James family on our roster. We already have enough problems with the prima donnas on it now. God forbid we were to add the biggest one of all and his kid who is only known for his old man.

alienpick · Post #5 » by **alienpick** » Wed Jun 19, 2024 11:40 pm

Smoke Screen. He's just trying to discourage other teams from taking Bronny for Lebron. If the Lakers take Bronny, Lebron will 100% resign.

Pickled Prunes · Post #6 » by **Pickled Prunes** » Thu Jun 20, 2024 12:11 am

alienpick wrote:Smoke Screen. He's just trying to discourage other teams from taking Bronny for Lebron. If the Lakers take Bronny, Lebron will 100% resign.

It is probably true that Lebron will remain with the Lakers regardless of where Bronny gets drafted.

It is also a blatant attempt to dissuade other teams from drafting Bronny just on the off chance that Lebron will follow him wherever he goes.

Post #7 » by **SuperDeluxe** » Thu Jun 20, 2024 1:55 am

If that was the case, I would force them to take him at 17.

Who the heck does he think he is?

haste10176 · Post #8 » by **haste10176** » Thu Jun 20, 2024 2:00 am

Pickled Prunes wrote:
alienpick wrote:Smoke Screen. He's just trying to discourage other teams from taking Bronny for Lebron. If the Lakers take Bronny, Lebron will 100% resign.

It is probably true that Lebron will remain with the Lakers regardless of where Bronny gets drafted.

It is also a blatant attempt to dissuade other teams from drafting Bronny just on the off chance that Lebron will follow him wherever he goes.

But also maybe its true and thus he is actually saving them from wasting a pick if thats their intention with Bronny

haste10176 · Post #9 » by **haste10176** » Thu Jun 20, 2024 2:03 am

SkyBill40 wrote:No Suns fan I know wants either of the James family on our roster. We already have enough problems with the prima donnas on it now. God forbid we were to add the biggest one of all and his kid who is only known for his old man.

Then your an idiot lol if Suns could trade beal for James or sign him for the minimum and you had the power and said no you would be absolute clown.. playmaking is a liability on the suns roster and Lebron is a playmaker but hey say dumb things win dumb prizes

SkyBill40 · Post #10 » by **SkyBill40** » Thu Jun 20, 2024 2:14 am

haste10176 wrote:
SkyBill40 wrote:No Suns fan I know wants either of the James family on our roster. We already have enough problems with the prima donnas on it now. God forbid we were to add the biggest one of all and his kid who is only known for his old man.

Then your an idiot lol if Suns could trade beal for James or sign him for the minimum and you had the power and said no you would be absolute clown.. playmaking is a liability on the suns roster and Lebron is a playmaker but hey say dumb things win dumb prizes

Nah, dude. Not even close. Might want to learn the difference between a contraction and possession, by the way.

They can't trade Beal because he has an existing no trade clause in his contract. And because James is a free agent, they can't take him in a sign and trade due to being firmly entrenched in the second tax apron. So if you want to come pointing fingers like you know something, you'd better actually know what the hell you're talking about in the first place.

James isn't taking a minimum deal anywhere. Period. Full stop.

Temuhjan · Post #11 » by **Temuhjan** » Thu Jun 20, 2024 3:19 am

Bron is so heading back to Cleveland. He gets the money and he gets the ring. Staying in LA is a waste of his twilight years.

the_process · Post #12 » by **the_process** » Thu Jun 20, 2024 5:14 am

LeBron absolutely wants the Lakers to take Bronny and it's silly to think otherwise.

The league also wants this to happen for all the press and the Lakers in the spotlight.

My guess is Bronny ain't too psyched. But Rich keeps telling him this will get him drafted in the 1st round.

cheese318 · Post #13 » by **cheese318** » Thu Jun 20, 2024 5:21 am

haste10176 wrote:
SkyBill40 wrote:No Suns fan I know wants either of the James family on our roster. We already have enough problems with the prima donnas on it now. God forbid we were to add the biggest one of all and his kid who is only known for his old man.

Then your an idiot lol if Suns could trade beal for James or sign him for the minimum and you had the power and said no you would be absolute clown.. playmaking is a liability on the suns roster and Lebron is a playmaker but hey say dumb things win dumb prizes

Exactly what I was going to say but you beat me to it. Hate the man all you want but he was a top 15-20 player this year and to say he can’t help the **** show that was in PHX this year is indeed a clown show narrative. Basically says to people you think you know basketball but absolutely do not

cheese318 · Post #14 » by **cheese318** » Thu Jun 20, 2024 5:28 am

Temuhjan wrote:Bron is so heading back to Cleveland. He gets the money and he gets the ring. Staying in LA is a waste of his twilight years.

He has not cared about his twilight years if you have not noticed. If he truly did he would have signed in as PHI in 2018 but chose to sign in LAL with a plan of a wasted year in his prime years.

Personally think if he was truly going to leave LA this year for a contending team that the best storyline finish to his career is trying to win with NYK. We all know he will sign with LAL which will unfortunately not succeed as I doubt they will he as lucky with AD not getting injured next year

SkyBill40 · Post #15 » by **SkyBill40** » Thu Jun 20, 2024 6:24 am

cheese318 wrote:
haste10176 wrote:
SkyBill40 wrote:No Suns fan I know wants either of the James family on our roster. We already have enough problems with the prima donnas on it now. God forbid we were to add the biggest one of all and his kid who is only known for his old man.

Then your an idiot lol if Suns could trade beal for James or sign him for the minimum and you had the power and said no you would be absolute clown.. playmaking is a liability on the suns roster and Lebron is a playmaker but hey say dumb things win dumb prizes

Exactly what I was going to say but you beat me to it. Hate the man all you want but he was a top 15-20 player this year and to say he can’t help the **** show that was in PHX this year is indeed a clown show narrative. Basically says to people you think you know basketball but absolutely do not

I never said he couldn't help. The fact of the matter is he's not wanted on our team. And I love people trying to argue from a position of false authority. It's hilarious. But please, I insist.. carry on.

alienpick · Post #16 » by **alienpick** » Thu Jun 20, 2024 6:26 am

Well going to the LAL did pay off with a championship but, yeah, otherwise it's been a waste. AD is not a winner, and extremely injury prone, Lebron needs to move on.

kenwood3333 · Post #17 » by **kenwood3333** » Thu Jun 20, 2024 1:25 pm

Rich Paul just admit he can use client leverage to force teams to make certain roster moves.

Pickled Prunes · Post #18 » by **Pickled Prunes** » Thu Jun 20, 2024 6:01 pm

haste10176 wrote:
Pickled Prunes wrote:
alienpick wrote:Smoke Screen. He's just trying to discourage other teams from taking Bronny for Lebron. If the Lakers take Bronny, Lebron will 100% resign.

It is probably true that Lebron will remain with the Lakers regardless of where Bronny gets drafted.

It is also a blatant attempt to dissuade other teams from drafting Bronny just on the off chance that Lebron will follow him wherever he goes.

But also maybe its true and thus he is actually saving them from wasting a pick if thats their intention with Bronny

The only way Bronny isn't a waste of a pick is if it makes Lebron happy. There will be better players on the board at #55 and there are only 58 picks this season. They can just sign him as an undrafted player. He would likely be a waste of a roster spot for most teams.

It is very unlikely that Bronny becomes an impactful player in the NBA... maybe over seas?

cheese318 · Post #19 » by **cheese318** » Tue Jun 25, 2024 7:25 pm

SkyBill40 wrote:
cheese318 wrote:
haste10176 wrote:
Then your an idiot lol if Suns could trade beal for James or sign him for the minimum and you had the power and said no you would be absolute clown.. playmaking is a liability on the suns roster and Lebron is a playmaker but hey say dumb things win dumb prizes

Exactly what I was going to say but you beat me to it. Hate the man all you want but he was a top 15-20 player this year and to say he can’t help the **** show that was in PHX this year is indeed a clown show narrative. Basically says to people you think you know basketball but absolutely do not

I never said he couldn't help. The fact of the matter is he's not wanted on our team. And I love people trying to argue from a position of false authority. It's hilarious. But please, I insist.. carry on.

You said LeBron wouldn’t help PHX. You did not say anything about he’ll never said for veteran minimum which i would have agreed with you right away. PHX is a much better team which a high success rate if you add LBJ to that roster. You can say you don’t want him or they don’t need him but I think KD would disagree with you. The fact you said he wouldn’t help the team win is a little short sighted which is what everyone responded with.

SkyBill40 · Post #20 » by **SkyBill40** » Tue Jun 25, 2024 10:24 pm

cheese318 wrote:
SkyBill40 wrote:
cheese318 wrote:
Exactly what I was going to say but you beat me to it. Hate the man all you want but he was a top 15-20 player this year and to say he can’t help the **** show that was in PHX this year is indeed a clown show narrative. Basically says to people you think you know basketball but absolutely do not

I never said he couldn't help. The fact of the matter is he's not wanted on our team. And I love people trying to argue from a position of false authority. It's hilarious. But please, I insist.. carry on.

You said LeBron wouldn’t help PHX. You did not say anything about he’ll never said for veteran minimum which i would have agreed with you right away. PHX is a much better team which a high success rate if you add LBJ to that roster. You can say you don’t want him or they don’t need him but I think KD would disagree with you. The fact you said he wouldn’t help the team win is a little short sighted which is what everyone responded with.

I'm still waiting for you to show me where, specifically, I said that James couldn't help. Go ahead and bold, italicize, and underline the EXACT line where I said it. I'll wait. Not what you presumed I said or what your takeaway was based on my comment, but the ACTUAL COMMENT.

What KD says isn't relevant here. I was speaking for me and added in what I have heard directly from Suns fans and believe a large portion of them feel about it. Am I speaking for all? Of course not. But I wouldn't be too far off the consensus in that adding him would come as a negative strictly from a fan perspective.

So... quote away, my dude. Let's get after it.