As complaints about LeBron James’ defensive proficiency ramp up, the Los Angeles Lakers star’s agent, Rich Paul, has come to his defense.
During Wednesday’s edition of “Game Over With Max Kellerman and Rich Paul,” the Klutch Sports Group founder outlined why James should stop being held accountable for LA’s defensive shortcomings, citing his age and career achievements.
Rich Paul Calls Out Unreasonable Expectations for LeBron James’ Age-41 Season
While James’ defense has gradually declined over the past few years, the 41-year-old’s effort has come under particular scrutiny this season amid LA’s recent drop-off.
Tuesday’s 128-106 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on James’ 41st birthday marked a particular low point for the Lakers. They provided next to no resistance inside, allowing a whopping 74 points in the paint to their 44 points, with the 21-time All-Star singled out by fans and analysts alike.
In the wake of the letdown, questions about James’ future with LA have mounted, with some urging him to consider retirement at the end of his historic 23rd campaign.
However, according to Paul, the Lakers, who rank 25th in defensive rating as a team (117.8), shouldn’t even be looking to their oldest player for stops, as James is long past his defensive prime.
“Normally, it’s not the superstar guy that’s going to be your all-defensive guy,” Paul began. “Even in LeBron’s case, people get on him about the defense today, but we’ve seen it. … If you have to depend on a 41-year-old, you’re in trouble anyway.”
Paul continued to remind viewers of James’ defensive dominance at the height of his powers when he captured his first two NBA titles with the Miami Heat.
“I’m saying prior to that, anytime you have a guy like that who can switch one through five, you saw it in the [NBA] Finals, guarding [Tim] Duncan to Kawhi [Leonard] to Tony Parker to [Manu] Ginóbili,” Paul added.
Rich Paul defends LeBron James against critics of his defense pic.twitter.com/K8oRwLVkFM
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That said, LA coach JJ Redick will likely be hard-pressed to find viable in-house solutions to his team’s defensive woes. The Lakers’ top perimeter defender, veteran guard Marcus Smart, has been an offensive liability. Meanwhile, their roster lacks proven wing and interior stoppers, giving opponents easy lanes to score inside.
As such, pressure on Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka will likely continue to escalate as the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaches, with the franchise seeking to capitalize on James and Luka Dončić’s dynamic offensive pairing.
