In the NBA’s podcast-heavy culture, only a fraction of what is said gets cut into clips and shared on social media to stir debate. It’s true for the biggest veterans, the podcasting players of All the Smoke, and even Rich Paul. LeBron James‘ agent dropped a hot take on Austin Reaves. His trade idea included shipping the Los Angeles Lakers star to Memphis. Naturally, that irritated fans, who didn’t shy away from letting Paul know. But he is back today to set the record straight.

“Please watch the show,” the Klutch Sports owner said on Game Over. “The reason why I say that is because everyone made it about Austin. That’s how I know they didn’t necessarily watch the whole thing.”

Paul then confirmed that Reaves’ agent, Reggie Berry of AMR Agency, approached him at halftime of the Lakers’ game against the Atlanta Hawks on January 13. But contrary to what was implied from an ESPN report, it was not a heated confrontation. Paul clarified that Berry had not seen the show. He was operating with cherry-picked clips.

Here’s Paul’s version of how the conversation actually went down.

“We talked about it, and I’m like, ‘Look, Reggie, you’re my man,'” Paul narrated. “I want Austin to know this is not about Austin Reaves because I love the player, love the person. Two, I actually need him to help me with my golf game. So, I’m not trying to mess up anything with AR.”

Paul then reiterated that all he did was present a “hypothetical” take on a topic that Max Kellerman initiated.

“If I was the Lakers, I probably would be targeting the Memphis Grizzlies as a trade partner for Jaren Jackson,” Paul said on his podcast earlier this week, which caused all the backlash.

At this point, it’s become a pattern for Paul to clarify his stance in alternating episodes. But it does show why it became such a problem.

Rich Paul is a casualty of the NBA’s podcast era/dilemma

Since JJ Redick took to podcasting before he retired, the NBA has had a hot-and-cold relationship with it. While the direct player connection to fans was welcome, it was also seen as outside noise.

It’s unorthodox enough for agents to do entire interviews on behalf of their clients. And for the Klutch Sports’ founder to be talking for an hour on a bi-weekly basis was dramatic.

Not long ago, Paul had to clarify that Klutch Sports doesn’t “run” the Lakers. Yet when he speaks, it’s assumed it’s LeBron James speaking (Paul even refuted that).

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When Paul and Berry chatted at the Hawks game, James also completely distanced himself from the suggestion that he wanted Reaves traded.

“I think you all know by now, Rich is his own man and what Rich says is not a direct reflection of me and how I feel,” the 41-year-old said.

It’s a huge relief to fans to have confirmation that LeBron James is still attached to one of his favorite teammates. And it appears that moves were made to downplay Paul’s hypothetical trade both inside and outside the Lakers organization.

Sources close to Reaves told The Athletic that the player wasn’t focused on Paul’s comments despite his agent’s sideline chat. Even Jaren Jackson Jr’s camp laughed off any possibility of a trade to the Lakers.

Yet the bigger picture is that a person like Paul talking can affect a player’s market value or shift the locker-room dynamic by saying just one line that many won’t agree with.