Former NBA player Matt Barnes is the latest to take issue with Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul for comments he has made on his Game Over podcast. Paul infamously suggested that the Los Angeles Lakers should trade Austin Reaves for Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies, and Barnes stated on All The Smoke: Unplugged that one can cause locker room issues by making such comments.
“To me, that kind of s*** f***s locker rooms up,” Barnes said. “… I found it kind of weird, the fact that he would openly share this as an agent, and let’s keep it real. He said what a lot of people possibly are thinking, but these people aren’t as powerful as Rich. And to be able to share something that you know is going to go into the Lakers locker room… Your six degrees of separation from [LeBron James].
“So now Bron has to kind of step in it and say, ‘Hey, that’s his own man doing his own thing,'” Barnes stated. “But a lot of people behind the scenes about Klutch’s power and how what they have with the teams and their say so with getting players and not getting players on different teams. The conversation surrounding Austin Reaves and what could happen.
“And again, Rich is not the only one thinking that,” Barnes continued. “He’s just the only one powerful enough to know when he’s saying that kind of s***, it’s going to make waves…. Austin Reaves has had a great season… He’s gonna touch for somewhere around $200 million. That’s how good he is and how good he’s been playing.
“You think about a chance to trade for Ja [Morant] or Jaren Jackson, Triple J, I mean, again, people are talking here, but to hear Rich say it is a little different,” Barnes added.
Paul is really the only high-profile NBA agent who is going around saying these things. The fact that he is LeBron James‘ longtime agent and close friend and said this about Reaves only made matters worse. The assumption in these scenarios is that he is speaking for James.
James distanced himself from those comments and made it clear he has no say on what Paul talks about on his podcast. He added that all is well between him and Reaves.
Paul, meanwhile, has walked back his comments about the trade. Prior to his doing that, Reggie Berry, one of the Reaves’ agents, approached him during a game presumably to address the comments. It was a messy situation that he could have very easily avoided.
Austin Rivers Ripped Rich Paul For Podcasting
While Reaves hasn’t said anything about Paul’s comments, another Austin has. Former NBA player Austin Rivers went off on the agent on his Off Guard podcast.
“He’s gotta stop that,” Rivers said. “First of all, why do you have a podcast anyway? I don’t understand it. I don’t get it. I got nothing against Rich. I don’t understand why you have a podcast, bro.”
When co-host Pausha Haghighi suggested that the argument would be that players have podcasts, Rivers completely dismissed it.
“You’re not a f***ing player,” Rivers stated. “I don’t know any other agents who are sitting there on the mic talking. Plus, everything you say is going to be a representation of LeBron, even if he don’t feel the way. Now, you got LeBron having to come out and be like, ‘Hey, Rich Paul has his own opinion. I don’t know. I don’t affiliate with that. Just ’cause he’s saying they want to get off Reaves doesn’t mean I want to get off Reaves.’
“That shouldn’t even have to be a conversation,” Rivers continued. “It’s weird, bro. Why do you have a podcast, Rich? You are an agent, meaning you’re supposed to be in the background running all the other stuff. You coming out at the forefront and giving your opinions on the game, and like saying this stuff. It doesn’t work.”
It doesn’t look like Paul is going to stop podcasting, though. He should probably think twice before opening his mouth about anything Lakers-related as long as James is on the team.
