Rich Paul and Klutch Sports have become one of the most powerful forces in the NBA over the past decade, with a client list that reaches nearly every corner of the league. Franchises understand that doing business with Klutch often requires a long-term mindset, not just about one player, but about future relationships as well. That level of influence has naturally placed Paul’s operation under intense scrutiny, particularly when big-market teams are involved. No situation has generated more chatter than Klutch’s rumored influence on the Los Angeles Lakers during LeBron James’ tenure.
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Around NBA circles, there were plenty of whispers that Paul and his agency had a hand in certain roster and personnel decisions, largely because of James’ stature within the organization. Whether fair or not, the prevailing perception was that Klutch carried a louder voice in Los Angeles than a typical agency would.
The reality is that it was never really a thing. Look no further than last year’s blockbuster trade, when Luka Doncic was dealt to the Purple and Gold for Anthony Davis. When asked about acquiring The Don, LeBron admitted he initially thought the report was fake. That hardly sounds like the inner workings of some Illuminati-style takeover of a sports agency and the NBA.
Paul spoke about this fake perception of Klutch during the latest edition of his Game Over podcast with famed analyst Max Kellerman. “We never ran the Lakers,” the 45-year-old millionaire disclosed. “That was never a thing. If I ran the Lakers, I would have been a part of that deal and got some of that moolah.”
Rich Paul says Klutch Sports has never called the shots for the Lakers during the LeBron era
“We never ran the lakers… We had and continue to have a great partnership with the Lakers but it’s not like you would think.”
(h/t @NBA__Courtside)pic.twitter.com/omLqAyAPoZ
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) December 29, 2025
It is hard not to take Paul at face value here. He has arguably become the most famous sports agent of all time due to his association with James and other top players like Davis and Draymond Green. He speaks from a position of success because he is success. And if Paul truly did “have a hand” in those decisions, it feels like he would openly acknowledge it and even wear it as a badge of honor rather than shy away from it.
“People are more concerned about everything else than an actual partnership. We had and continue to have a great partnership with the Lakers but it’s not like what you would think. And by the way, I don’t want that responsibility,” added Paul.
That’s the part that needs to be said the loudest. The business of basketball is as vast and competitive as the final jump ball in a Game 7 in a key moment. It’s an entirely different animal.
At the end of the day, power in the NBA is often louder in rumor than it is in reality. Klutch’s influence has always been about representation, leverage, and relationships. It’s not about shadow ownership or puppet strings. The Lakers made their moves because they believed those decisions put banners closer to the rafters, not because an agent demanded it.
In a league where perception can snowball faster than facts, this feels like one of those cases where the myth became bigger than the truth. It’s easy to get lost in the noise of that because of the LeBron hate or the Paul hate. But these are just powerful men who play the game, not manipulate it.
