The Los Angeles Lakers are hovering 10 games above .500 as we hit the halfway mark of the 2025-26 NBA season-a solid position, but not exactly the dominance fans in purple and gold are used to. And while the team tries to find its rhythm on the court, there’s been just as much noise off of it.
That noise got a lot louder recently when Klutch Sports agent Rich Paul stirred the pot with a trade suggestion that raised eyebrows across the league-and especially within the Lakers organization. Paul floated the idea of dealing Austin Reaves for Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr., a move that, on paper, addresses some of L.A.'s glaring needs. But coming from someone with deep ties to LeBron James and significant influence inside the Lakers’ orbit, the suggestion hit differently.
Now, former Laker Isaiah Thomas is weighing in, and he’s not holding back. On his Point Game Podcast, Thomas called out Paul directly:
“I mean, first off, come on, Rich Paul.
We can't be doing that. That's insane cuz that seems like a realistic trade, too… And then just to know who he is and what he is to LeBron, it's like - has that been a conversation between y’all?
You just never know. But I mean, I don't think he should be on any podcast talking about trades.”
Thomas’ reaction underscores what many around the league were already thinking: when someone as connected as Paul goes public with a trade idea-especially one involving a young fan favorite like Reaves-it’s going to cause waves. And not the good kind.
Let’s be clear: Reaves has been having a breakout year. Before his recent injury, he was putting up career-best numbers and showing real growth as a playmaker and secondary scorer.
But there’s been ongoing chatter that his skill set might overlap a bit too much with what LeBron James and Luka Doncic already bring to the table. And while Reaves can light it up offensively, he doesn't exactly move the needle on defense-an area where the Lakers have struggled.
That’s where a player like Jaren Jackson Jr. comes into the conversation. He’s a rim protector, a switchable defender, and he can stretch the floor.
In theory, he fills a void the Lakers have been trying to patch all season. But the idea of trading Reaves isn’t just a basketball decision-it’s an emotional one, too.
He’s a homegrown success story, a guy who’s won over the locker room and the fan base alike.
And when the trade chatter comes from someone like Paul, who’s not just any agent but LeBron’s agent, it adds a layer of intrigue-and tension-that’s hard to ignore. Whether or not there’s any real traction behind the idea, the public nature of the comment may have actually made it harder for the front office to pull the trigger. No team wants to look like it’s being steered by outside voices, even powerful ones.
For now, the Lakers turn their attention back to the court, where they’ll face off against the Clippers on Thursday night. With the trade deadline looming and the Western Conference as competitive as ever, the front office has some tough decisions ahead. But one thing’s for sure: when the off-court drama starts to rival the on-court action, you know it’s never boring in Lakerland.