LeBron James teamed up with Stephen Curry in the Paris Olympics to represent Team USA on the international stage. The duo’s impressive performance on the international stage sparked excitement among fans, who began to wonder if they might see the two superstars join forces in the NBA as well.
Such a scenario was reportedly nearly possible last season. A potential trade was in the works that could have sent James to the Golden State Warriors. However, LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul, reportedly stepped in to stop the deal.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Paul urged the Warriors and the Lakers to abandon the idea of trading James. It was primarily to protect the superstar from potential backlash for switching teams yet again.
REPORT: Rich Paul reportedly “implored the Warriors and Lakers to scrap the idea” of trading LeBron James to the Warriors last season, “largely because he wanted to insulate James from potential backlash over switching teams for the 4th time in his career.”
(via @TheSteinLine) pic.twitter.com/aobh6xugf4
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) August 18, 2024
James began his NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers and has since played for three teams: the Cavaliers, the Miami Heat, and the Los Angeles Lakers. Moving to a fourth team would have been a significant shift for the veteran, and Paul’s intervention appears to have been a strategic decision aimed at preserving James’ legacy.
LeBron James Reflects on Winning Olympic MVP Amid Controversy
Apart from winning gold, LeBron James also bagged the MVP award of the Paris Olympics. For the Los Angeles Lakers star, it was a great honor. In an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, James expressed his gratitude for the recognition.
“It’s an honor. I don’t know who the voting committee, or whatever the case may be, but I’m super-humbled that they even voted for me. But it came with us winning gold, and that’s what’s more important for me. It’s pretty cool,” James said.
However, not everyone was satisfied with the MVP decision. Many fans and analysts felt that Stephen Curry deserved the award instead. According to Brian Windhorst, the voting for the Olympic MVP award took place before the semifinals. It might have influenced the outcome.
