Tension is quietly building inside the Los Angeles Lakers, and it has little to do with wins and losses. According to Jovan Buha on his Buha’s Block podcast, frustration has grown within the organization over the way Rich Paul has publicly discussed the team and its roster, particularly through his new podcast, Game Over.
“People have not been happy. I’m not going to go more specific than that, but I would just say people have not been happy with that pod and some of the comments. Especially, look, there was some of the initial stuff like saying they’re not contenders, right? And that was one thing. Even some people inside that building might believe that if you gave them truth serum. It’s one thing to think that privately and another thing to put that out publicly.”
“But then some of the stuff that has come out since, most notably recently this whole trade Austin Reaves for Jaren Jackson Jr. idea, and saying Austin has more trade value than Jaren Jackson Jr. I actually think if Memphis wants to throw in multiple picks and GG Jackson, then maybe that’s a conversation. But the general framework of just JJJ for Austin Reaves straight up does not make any sense, in my opinion, from the Lakers’ side.”
“Yes, the theory of JJJ makes sense, but he has not been the same defender the last couple of years. He is not a good rebounder. So if you play him at the five, you really have to have great rebounding. Luka helps close some of that gap, but you need at least one more really good rebounder, if not a couple.”
“And for now, okay, LeBron, but JJJ likes to play the four. You can’t have an AD situation again. If he wants to play the four, you need to figure out the five situation. Does that work with Ayton and JJJ? Maybe, I don’t know.”
“But yeah, it’s been some interesting comments coming out of that because that is uncommon for an agent to be commenting on his player’s team to this degree and basically saying I would trade this guy, especially a guy who’s sort of in contract competition for his client.”
Buha made it clear that the reaction internally has not been positive. While some people in the building may privately share concerns about the Lakers’ championship ceiling, Buha emphasized that airing those thoughts publicly is a different matter altogether. Calling the team non contenders, questioning roster construction, and floating specific trade ideas crosses a line most front offices are uncomfortable with, especially when it comes from an agent rather than a team executive.
The tipping point appears to be Paul’s recent suggestion that the Lakers should trade Austin Reaves for Jaren Jackson Jr.. Buha pushed back hard on that idea, calling a straight up swap unrealistic and illogical from the Lakers’ perspective.
More importantly, Reaves is viewed internally as a core piece next to Luka Doncic, not a trade chip to be casually discussed. While the Lakers’ defense ranks near the bottom of the league, the organization has shown no appetite to move Reaves, particularly not for a player with fit questions and a larger contract. Paul’s framing of Reaves as having more trade value than Jackson Jr., or placing him in the same tier as players like Norman Powell, rubbed fans and, more crucially, decision makers the wrong way.
This is where the discomfort really sets in. Buha pointed out how unusual it is for an agent to comment this directly and frequently on his client’s team, especially when suggesting trades involving players who are effectively competing with his own client for resources, roster priority, or future planning. Even though Paul has denied that Klutch Sports ever controlled Lakers’ decisions, the perception problem is unavoidable. When an agent speaks this loudly, it creates outside pressure whether intended or not.
None of this exists in a vacuum. Paul’s motivation is easy to understand. LeBron James is 41, in his 23rd season, and firmly in win-now mode. Paul wants the Lakers to maximize the present, push their chips in, and give LeBron the best possible chance to compete for another title. From that lens, calling out roster flaws, pick reluctance, and defensive issues makes sense.
But from the Lakers’ perspective, there is a line between advocacy and intrusion. The front office knows the roster is imperfect. They also know their draft capital is limited and their margin for error is thin. What they do not want is an external voice, even one as powerful as Rich Paul’s, publicly dictating trade frameworks, criticizing organizational identity, or framing the team as something less than elite.
The result is a growing disconnect. The Lakers respect Paul, value LeBron, and understand the urgency of the moment. What they do not appreciate is being told how to run their team in public. As Buha put it, thinking these things privately is one thing. Broadcasting them is another.
For now, the Lakers are staying the course. But the noise is getting louder, and with every comment, the pressure only increases.
