LeBron James' Agent Doesn't Think The Lakers Are Contenders (For The Moment, That Is)

The Los Angeles Lakers have gotten off to a hot start this season, trailing just the Oklahoma City Thunder in a highly competitive Western Conference. Some fans are convinced that the Lakers will go on a deep playoff run this season, but one highly influential figure doesn’t think much of the team’s roster as presently constructed.

Appearing on “Game Over” with Max Kellerman, LeBron James’ agent and longtime friend Rich Paul offered his outlook on the Lakers. “I personally don’t think the Lakers are good enough to be contenders right now,” he told Kellerman. “I don’t think they have enough to get to the Western Conference Finals.”

Paul, whose list of clients also includes Anthony Davis, Draymond Green, Zach LaVine, and Darius Garland, said that he does not put too much stock into the Lakers’ 17–6 start. Looking into the months ahead, Paul questioned whether the Lakers’ depth can hold up as other teams start to find their groove.

“You come to the back half of the season, where guys have their conditioning, they get their rhythm, they’re preparing for you differently,” Paul pointed out.

He added that the playoffs are a different beast. “We saw last year that they [the Lakers] ran into athleticism and length. They struggled…Can the Lakers play fast? I don’t think so.”

In the first round of the 2025 playoffs, the Lakers had their hands full with a bigger yet quicker Minnesota Timberwolves lineup with Anthony Edwards at the forefront. Playing a huge role in the Wolves’ gentleman’s sweep of the Lakers were Julius Randle, Rudy Gobert, and Naz Reid, who punished the purple-and-gold squad’s frontline on both ends of the floor.

Paul added that the Lakers’ lack of pace could cost them dearly. “That style of play is very easy to guard in the playoffs,” he said.

Notably, Paul qualified his pronouncement on the Lakers by saying that they don’t have what it takes “right now.” With several weeks left before the trade deadline, GM Rob Pelinka has some time to make adjustments to the roster in anticipation of the long haul.

How will Pelinka follow up on the blockbuster Luka Dončić trade that he pulled off last season? That remains to be seen, and Paul will certainly be watching closely.