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Once the Sixers completed the trade for Brown, they reached out to LeBron James’ agent Rich Paul. Their initial pitch was also a simple one: James can play on a roster capable of winning at a high level. Over the coming days and weeks, Maxey, Embiid and Brown all took turns recruiting James, according to league sources. The Sixers believed they had more than talent to appeal to one of the greatest players ever to play the game: They also had fit.
Max Kellerman on Joel Embiid at Team USA: Scal was talking about when the best players get together, everyone's got the cars and the watches and the money, the way they really compete, the way they really compete and impress each other is by is like who works the hardest. And that was not Embiid at all. It was the opposite for Embiid according to Scal what he was hearing. Isn't that a problem for the Sixers or does LeBron get on and does LeBron help fix that? Rich Paul: I've heard nothing but great things about Joel this summer. I heard he's in the best shape he's been in. He's been healthy all summer, so what Scal is saying normally, yeah, that is the case. I've been around a ton of USA teams. So, yeah, but I don't think so in this case. I think if anything you have a locker room and a practice facility that is going to be just what I would say examples leading by example every day, right? And I think that from top to bottom, I think I think Tyrese made the comment, everyone has to sacrifice, which he's right. Everyone's going to have to sacrifice, but more importantly it's less about those guys can play. They're going to win some games just going out there and playing. But I think your habits as a team, your approach as a team, the time you spend together as a team, the effort you make to spend time with your teammates on the road and things like that.
In the latest edition of his “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul explains that he worked to “protect” Peyton Watson by discouraging him from trying to play in the postseason while he was dealing with a strained left hamstring (Twitter video link from NBA writer Damien Peters). “You’ve got to remember, he didn’t finish the season. He didn’t play in the playoffs,” Paul said. “He was dealing with a hamstring injury, soft tissue injury. And when you’re dealing with those injuries, you have to be very careful in your return. Guys want to play, and you have to protect them from themselves in that moment. Because you’re up for a contract and it’s the playoffs, and I’ve had a pretty good year, so I need to play. And it’s important to protect that.”
Shams Charania: Denver, Cleveland and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and agents Lucas Newton and Calvin Andrews finalized the new home Wednesday in a difficult restricted free agency landscape -- with Watson's reps navigating interest and offers from the Bucks, Trail Blazers and Clippers before narrowing on the guaranteed $88M deal with the Cavaliers.
NBA Courtside: Tyrese Maxey breaks down the recruiting of LeBron: “Did I call? For sure like I didn’t know at first if it was possible or not. I don’t know if he was a free agent two years ago or last year and so we work out in the morning, so I was like give LeBron’s number I’m about to mess with him real quick just like on some funny stuff. I hit him, like “Yo you always welcome to come to Philly if you want to, you know what I’m saying? Before he resigned back with the Lakers I knew he was going back to the Lakers but I’m just messing with him.” And then this time, RP is like, “I don’t know what he’s going to do, he doesn’t know what he’s going to do so, man. Holla at him if what you’re thinking.” So I hit him and was like, “Yo you know like pull up, like I think we got a good chance I feel like you can help us you arguably the greatest of all-time so it’s like why wouldn’t we want you on our team.” You know what I mean? Just gave him a rundown on that and I probably talked to him at least three or four times.” (Via @notbpod)
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Anthony Davis and his agent, Rich Paul, have a history of seeking maximum-salary contract extensions. In 2023, with two full seasons remaining on Davis’ Lakers contract, Davis and the Lakers agreed on a three-year, $175 million extension that includes a $62.8 million player option for the 2027-28 season. If Davis proactively declines that player option, a maximum contract extension between Davis and the Wizards would be worth $275 million over four years and would run through the 2030-31 season. Davis will turn 37 years old in March of the 2030-31 season.
Olden Polynice on Rich Paul saying Kobe Bryant would have supported LeBron James’ decision to join Philly: “This goes out to Rich Paul. I have nothing but respect for you as far as how what you’ve accomplished and how you got there. You worked your butt off. But you need to shut the fu*k up with that statement because that is the most asinine thing. Number one, we don’t know. You shouldn’t bring up Kobe in any way, shape, or form that he would know what you know, LeBron, you know, the decision LeBron made. That’s some bullsh*t, Okay. This is clickbait all over again. That’s like me walking up and slapping somebody and going, Malcolm X would have understood it. I don’t know what the hell Malcolm X would understand. And so to me, don’t do that. That’s so disrespectful.”
NBA Courtside: Rich Paul says if you criticize LeBron for ring chasing after joining the 76ers, it says more about you: “Because what else are you supposed to do, right? The man is playing on minimum contract, he wants to win.” (Via Game Over)
NBA Courtside: Rich Paul says it must be in the algorithm of social media to talk bad about LeBron gets you clicks: “I think somewhere in the algorithm somebody said ‘hey if you speak negatively about LeBron, people want to pay attention to you.’ I think that somewhere is in the manual of social media” (Via Game Over)
NBA Courtside: Rich Paul on why LeBron didn’t choose the Spurs: “It’s similar to the Knicks these are two teams that finished last two teams in the season. Spurs were the runner up. And when you have a guy like Wemby you have to respect his growth, his position on the Spurs. It’s not easy LeBron James shows up it just doesn’t matter who you are.” (Via Game Over)
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James can never be 6-for-6 in the Finals like Jordan -- that was out the window after losing in his first Finals trip in 2007 -- but if he fulfills his two-year, $8 million contract with Philadelphia, he'll have played 25 years in the league. A full 10 more than Jordan, a staple of longevity that Jordan's legacy can never touch. And who knows if it stops there. "I think Philadelphia's going to energize him," Paul told ESPN. "Maybe we get two [seasons]. Maybe we get four."
NBA Courtside: Rich Paul says LeBron WASN’T even considering the 76ers before the Jaylen Brown trade: “We never heard from the Sixers because the Sixers never really thought it was even a chance and I talked about why. We talked about other things, obviously I talk to Tyrese all the time. No never even thought it was a chance. We started having conversations about just basketball in its self, how things can play out what it actually takes to win where you know, not to get into everything but there was several conversations and as you know all these decisions are layered.”
WHAT STARTED WITH James' longtime friend and agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, having conversations with 27 teams, as he told ESPN, and then whittling them to a final five -- the 76ers, Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves -- ended with the veteran with the ball in his hands looking for the last shot to cap an already Hall of Fame career.
Heat Central: Rich Paul calls out people who claim LeBron James stacks his teams to ring chase throughout his career 👀 “It’s confusing because what are you supposed to chase? Aluminum cans? I don’t think he chases anything I just think you want to put yourself in the best competitive position to have a chance of winning. It’s very confusing when you see players talk about ring chasing. Especially players who don’t have a ring. — I just don’t understand how people get up everyday and try to nitpick at you for trying to put yourself in the best position”