LeBron James has brought life to a Los Angeles Lakers team that was written off before the start of the playoffs after losing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to late-season injuries. But instead of folding, the Lakers have gone from massive underdogs to being on the verge of sweeping the Houston Rockets in their first-round playoff series.
But not only has James put up ridiculous numbers for a 41-year-old, but he has also played with a lot of heart, hustle, and fight, all of which have rubbed off on his teammates, and that is the reason why the Lakers are playing inspired basketball right now despite missing their top two scorers.
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Rich Paul wants Lakers to re-sign LeBron
Because of his ability to galvanize the troops and still put up All-Star numbers, LeBron’s super agent, Rich Paul, wants the Lakers management to ensure that his client doesn’t leave Los Angeles.
“When you have a player like LeBron James, on and off the court and etcetera, you keep that guy a part of your organization. The Lakers should be delighted that he played there, number one. And also, they should be doing everything they can to make sure he’s a part of that organization going forward, because guess what, you won’t find another,” said Paul on the “Game Over” podcast.
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Lebron is still elite, and the players respond to his leadership well
While LeBron’s showing since Luka and AR got hurt makes a good argument for the Lakers to give him another contract, it’s somewhat a 360-degree turn for Paul, who said before the start of the season that LeBron wants to compete for another championship. He is unsure whether he will stay in Los Angeles because they are building around Luka, which may mean he won’t be part of their future.
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But a lot has happened since then. Doncic had an MVP-type season, while Austin Reaves had the best season of his career, albeit in a contract year. James was content to play third fiddle behind Luka and AR, and the Lakers were winning before both got hurt.
Since the injuries, the Lakers are 6-1 with James averaging 25.4 points, 10.0 assists, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.7 stocks while having a true shooting percentage of 59.9 percent. They are also one win away from advancing to the second round. No one expects them to beat the OKC Thunder in round 2, but that’s not the point. LeBron is still elite, and the team’s players respond well to him. But Paul took his pitch to the next level.
“You see what Ryan Smith did with the Jazz. What did he do? D-Wade didn’t play for the Jazz ever in his tenure. But what you can’t deny is the champion heart, the production, and the professional that Dwyane Wade was while playing the game. What did Mark Davis do? He got Tom Brady,” he added.
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Is Rich Paul trying to tell the Lakers to make LeBron a part-owner, too?
It can be recalled that in 2021, shortly after Ryan Smith took over as the majority owner of the Utah Jazz, he allowed Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade to buy a minority stake to bring his championship pedigree to the team. In 2024, Los Angeles Raiders owner Mark Davis sold 10 percent of the team to the NFL GOAT, Tom Brady, for the same reasons Smith welcomed Wade as co-owner of the Jazz.
LeBron has stated his desire to own an NBA team after retirement, and he has been linked to the upcoming Las Vegas franchise. However, he recently denied that he is eyeing a role in the potential ownership group in Sin City, which was a surprise. But maybe he said that because he wants to join the Lakers ownership group after all.
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For now, he will have to finish the job at hand, with the Lakers looking to sweep the Rockets on Sunday. But what happens after the season will be interesting. The Lakers have a decision to make regarding Austin Reaves’ contract extension, but LeBron’s decision to take a pay cut would certainly make it easier for them to move forward. But like a good Hollywood movie, let’s just sit back, enjoy, and see how it unfolds.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Apr 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.