Few debates in the NBA get as much traction as those involving LeBron James. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar has been the subject of controversy throughout his career, and now one particular narrative is making the rounds amid the team’s recent success with him injured and watching from the sideline.

As the team wins behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the idea that LA might be better without him on the floor is gaining traction. However, his longtime agent and close friend, Rich Paul, has now spoken out to set the record straight, and he seems to think the entire premise of the argument is misguided.

“I hate to keep talking about the Lakers,” Paul joked on the Game Over podcast. “But you hear all the nonsense about the team being better without LeBron. I’ve never seen a team in my life that would be better without LeBron James.”

Co-host Max Kellerman pushed back slightly, wondering whether the Lakers roster as currently constructed doesn’t mesh with his skillset. Paul shut that down quickly too, and he’s not wrong. James has long been known as perhaps the greatest floor raiser in the history of the game, taking depleted and talent deprived rosters to even the Finals in his prime.

However, things are different this year. Even the numbers paint a bleak picture for James. In the minutes with the King on the floor, LA‘s offensive rating drops from five points above league average to just 1.3, whereas the defensive rating gets slightly worse, going from 0.4 points above league average to 0.9. This amounts to the team’s net rating being nearly 4.3 points higher with James off the floor.

However, Paul isn’t convinced, and he has his reasons for the underperformance from James this season.

Rich Paul Says Los Angeles Lakers Still Figuring Out How to Use LeBron James

According to Rich Paul, the Los Angeles Lakers are undergoing a complicated adjustment period involving LeBron James’ role in the offense. As the forward grows older and the franchise pivots to Luka Doncic, his role as primary ball-handler is being completely reworked as the team tries to integrate him into different offensive roles.

“For a guy that’s been on the ball for so long, how do you play him off the ball?” Paul highlighted. “You’re putting him in the corner because that’s supposed to be second-side action.”

As Kellerman aptly noted, these sets aren’t where James belongs, as the tactics under head coach JJ Redick may not be maximizing his strength. At times, LA has taken to putting him in the corner as a part of second-side actions, something that isn’t ideal especially as his three-point percentage has fallen off a cliff this season.

Beyond the plays, Paul also pointed to injuries as a major reason for the team not having the right balance. He’s not wrong; the trio of James, Doncic, and Austin Reaves have played just 21 games this season, and until they log more time together, any data we extract isn’t going to be super accurate.