Things appear to be going downhill for the Lakers. LeBron James recently sustained a groin injury and is expected to miss the next few weeks. Given the competitiveness of the Western Conference, the Lakers were hoping to avoid slipping in the standings during James’ absence.
Although the Lakers had Luka Dončić on the court and were expected to defeat the Brooklyn Nets, they suffered a surprising loss. Not having James on the court seemed to impact the team’s performance.
Rich Paul, James’ agent and close friend, frequently interacts with the media and discusses basketball-related matters. Paul appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and was immediately asked about James’ health.
Rich Paul Accuses Luka Dončić and the Lakers of Disrespecting Their Opponents
At this point, the pressure is on Dončić and the Lakers. If they cannot maintain momentum without James, it will reflect poorly on the team.
Paul watched the Lakers’ recent loss to the Nets and was later asked about their current situation and James’ potential return. While Paul didn’t provide specifics on James’ return, he expressed disappointment with the Lakers’ performance without him.
“They had a lot of work to do whether LeBron was there or not, just with the roster. But those guys have been playing unbelievable basketball, and JJ [coach] had those guys prepared. They lost the other night by not being prepared. I didn’t think they executed well on either side of the floor. They weren’t able to beat the Nets, and that comes, in some cases, from not respecting your opponent.”
“LeBron James knows his body better than anybody, and he’s played a lot of basketball… When you have this type of injury, you have to manage it properly… I won’t put a timetable on when he’ll be back”@RichPaul4 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/fE9nGiuUPE
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 11, 2025
Paul added, “This is the NBA, and anybody can beat you on any given night. You have to handle it with grace. So I won’t put a timetable on it. I’ll let LeBron decide what’s to be done there.”
Paul’s comments may not have sat well with the Lakers, as he accused them of not respecting their opponents and paying the price. Either way, this upcoming stretch of games will give fans a clearer idea of how the Lakers will perform without James.