Admittedly, this is a few days late. At the same time, it's something that the Utah Jazz and their fanbase should be paying close attention to. Rich Paul, LeBron James' friend and agent, caused quite a stir earlier this week when he discussed the prospect of the Los Angeles Lakers trading Austin Reaves. If this continues, it could further push Reaves away from LA and into Utah's lap.
To recap, Paul recently went on the record, floating the idea of the Lakers trading Reaves to the Memphis Grizzlies for Jaren Jackson Jr. on his podcast with Max Kellerman. Whether you think that's a good trade idea or not, the fact of the matter is, Paul is not an analyst. He's an agent who represents players who play for the Lakers, so it's not the best move to put such an idea out there.
Not only did this spark backlash, but ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported that it prompted Reaves' agent to speak with Paul about it afterward. Paul has since clarified that he meant no ill will towards Reaves, but didn't exactly apologize for what he said, nor did he promise not to discuss a Reaves trade again, leaving it very much open to interpretation whether this matter has truly been put to bed.
If Paul talks about Reaves again, it could help the Jazz
Ever since he became a public figure, Paul has never been one to shy away from some controversy. Granted, that comes with the territory of representing LeBron, but at the same time, Paul has acted like he's bulletproof. To be fair, he pretty much is, but that doesn't mean his conduct can't be detrimental to the teams his clients play for.
The funny thing is, floating Reaves for Jackson isn't really a bad idea, but it's where the idea came from that's the problem. Making this statement when representing Reaves' teammates could risk creating tension between him and the team. The Lakers have some tough decisions to make because in a perfect world, they want to keep both Reaves and LeBron, but those two will be expensive.
If Paul talks about the Lakers trading Reaves again, that could make this situation even worse, potentially pushing Reaves out the door. The young Lakers star has expressed his loyalty to the Lakers, and it sounds like the desire to keep him in LA is mutual between him and the team's front office. However, if Paul keeps bringing up trading Reaves, that could cast some serious doubt on whether they can keep him.
The Jazz want Reaves. That's been on the record for some time, as they have both the cap room and extra incentive to take him from the Lakers. If this Paul drama only intensifies, that helps their chances of getting Reaves this summer. Right now, the odds are low, but the more Paul talks about this situation, the better the odds get.