Rich Paul steals LeBron James’ tactics by pressuring the Lakers to make upgrades

on paper, Los Angeles Lakers they work well. They are 17-6 and in second place in the Western Conference.

After coming back from injury, LeBron James gradually came back to life, averaging 17.6 points and 7.6 assists. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic is in his prime during his first full season with the Lakers, averaging 35.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game. Austin Reaves rose to prominence, averaging 28.4 points, 6.7 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game.

With all those pieces in place, what could possibly go wrong? Well, let me hear from LeBron’s agent Rich Paul they say, they don’t have enough to go far in the playoffs.

On Tuesday, Paul told Max Kellerman on their “Game Over” podcast that the Lakers they are not in position for a berth in the Western Conference finals, according to Jacob Rudd of Silver Screen and Roll.

In essence, Paul claims that he is The Lakers are not candidates the way they are used to and should make upgrades.

Paul: “I personally don’t think the Lakers are good enough to be a contender at this point. Not now.”

Kellerman: “When you say candidates, what do you mean?”

Paul: “I don’t think they have enough to get to the Western Conference Finals. I don’t think they have enough to contend from that perspective right now.”

Kellerman: “So OKC is in a class by itself… Leave them alone for a second. You think the Lakers don’t fit in with the rest of the pack? They’ve got the second-best record in the conference.”

Paul: “We’ve seen that before. It doesn’t mean anything.”

Rich Paul is basically following in LeBron’s footsteps

Throughout his career, LeBron has made it a point to pressure organizations to beef up their rosters in his favor. Recently he exercised a player option of $52.6 million to play another year with the Lakers, with the help of Rich Paul.

In this way, it forces the organization to look for additional talent. While in Cleveland, he and his team forced them to sign huge contracts and pay the luxury tax to build a championship-caliber team.

It came out in 2016 when the Cavaliers brought home the championship after defeating the Warriors. LeBron had JR Smith, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love on his side, and none of them came cheap.

Also, LeBron and the team played a role bringing Russell Westbrook to LA from 2021 to 2023, forcing general manager Rob Pelinka to take risks and make such moves.

Fast forward to today, and Paul, as well as James, allegedly follows a consistent pattern. Looking at the Lakers’ roster, they could use a few more top players, especially on the defensive end.

Overall, LA has issues with communication, poor transition defense and not enough protection in the paint. Plus, they aren’t one of the most physically imposing teams in the league.

Yes, the additions of Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton can help, but it’s more of a Band-Aid. While James, Doncic and Reaves lead the offense, their defensive consistency has been inconsistent.

Then there is the issue of team culture. Pavle said earlier that the Lakers lack a so-called “heat culture,” referring to LeBron’s time when Miami played with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, in which they won two championships.

In other words, they played with a sense of urgency to win, and the Lakers don’t have that right now. So surrounding James with players who possess the same mindset should be a priority.

All in all, Rich Paul is telling the Lakers what LeBron James isn’t. If you want me to keep playing, surround me with more top players.

It worked before; it might work again.