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Buha also brought up Paul\u2019s previous comments, when he said last month that the Lakers are not championship contenders on his and Max Kellerman\u2019s podcast<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s one thing to think that privately, one thing to put that out publicly\u2026 That is uncommon for an agent to be commenting on his player\u2019s team to this degree and saying basically say \u2018I would trade this guy,\u2019 especially for a guy who\u2019s sort of in contract competition for his client,\u201d Buha said.<\/p>\n
James separated himself from Paul\u2019s comments after the Lakers\u2019 141-116 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you all know by now, Rich is his own man and what Rich says is not a direct reflection of me and how I feel,\u201d James told ESPN on his way out of Crypto.com Arena. \u201cAnd I hope people know that. I hope people know that and if they\u2019re not sensible to know that, then I don\u2019t know what to tell them.\u201d<\/p>\n
CLEVELAND, OH – FEBRUARY 20: Adele and Rich Paul pose for a photo during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game as part of 2022 NBA All Star Weekend on February 20, 2022 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and\/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler\/NBAE via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
One of Reaves\u2019 agents, Reggie Berry of AMR Agency, approached Paul on the sideline at halftime of Tuesday\u2019s game and they talked for more than five minutes about Paul\u2019s public trade scenario regarding Reaves, according to ESPN.<\/p>\n
James made it clear that he and Paul have different perspectives on the topic.<\/p>\n
\u201cAR knows how I feel about him,\u201d James said of his longest-tenured teammate. \u201cAll you got to do is look at us on the bench. Me and AR talk every single day. So, AR knows how I feel about him and I hope AR \u2014 or his camp \u2014 don\u2019t look at me and think this is words from me are coming through Rich.<\/p>\n
\u201cRich has his perspective of what he sees, I have my perspective. I\u2019m a grown man, he\u2019s a grown man and I think people should realise that grown men can say whatever the f \u2014 they want to say and it shouldn\u2019t reflect somebody else is saying it.\u201d<\/p>\n
James told ESPN that he and Paul did not discuss Paul entering the podcast space before he and Kellerman launched their show last month.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I was the Lakers I would be targeting the Memphis Grizzlies as a trade partner for Jaren Jackson,\u201d Paul told Kellerman Monday. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re building around Luka you need that anchor. Jaren doesn\u2019t want to be apart of a rebuild\u2026 if you\u2019re able to trade out expiring and trade the last 1st you got or you can withhold and give up less but this comes with a more unemotional attachment because Austin is beloved. There\u2019s a world you can do what\u2019s best for your team, and what\u2019s best for Austin. Austin deserves to get paid\u2026 Memphis would definitely pay Austin. He would become their leading scorer and PG.\u201d<\/p>\n
Austin Reaves in action (Photo by David Crane\/MediaNews Group\/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)Source: Getty ImagesJaren Jackson Jr. in action (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN \/ AFP)Source: AFP<\/p>\n
Reaves has yet to address Paul\u2019s comments publicly.<\/p>\n
This is the second time in the past month that James has been asked about Paul\u2019s public comments regarding the Lakers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI personally don\u2019t think the Lakers are good enough to be contenders, not right now,\u201d Paul said last month on his podcast after the Lakers lost to the Spurs in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think they have enough to get to WCF.\u201d<\/p>\n
After that, the 41-year-old James said he wasn\u2019t focused on the postseason.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t think about what we can do in the playoffs in December. \u2026 Talking about what type of damage we can do in the postseason in December, that\u2019s not right for the basketball gods,\u201d James said.<\/p>\n
The Lakers are currently 24-14 and the fifth seed in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n