Rich Paul has opened the floodgates for other agents to speak about his clients the way he spoke about Austin Reaves.
Rich Paul is not here to play nice, or to whisper politely in corners. The super-agent, known for representing the biggest names in basketball, just dropped a bold statement that has the NBA world buzzing.
Paul says he wouldn’t care if other agents spoke about his clients the same way he talked about Austin Reaves. And yes, that’s exactly how it sounds. No holding back, no sugarcoating, no polite nods. Just straight talk.
Via Game Over podcast, he said;
“One thing I wouldn’t do, 1 I wouldn’t care. 2, I get agents going into families living rooms and lie on me every single day. Every day there’s an agency of some sort going into a families living rooms saying ‘Look why would you want to sign with Rich and Klutch. He has a podcast he’s never going to care about your son. He only cares about LeBron!’ They have been doing this since 2012. You know what I do? When I see these people I walk up and shake their hand. You don’t hear a peep out of me about anything!”
It’s game ON!
Rich Paul says he wouldn’t care if other Agents spoke on his clients the way he spoke on Austin Reaves 😬
“One thing I wouldn’t do, 1 I wouldn’t care. 2, I get agents going into families living rooms and lie on me every single day. Every day there’s an agency of some sort going… https://t.co/9CiMQuoXr2 pic.twitter.com/RZKvsJZ9WR
— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) January 14, 2026
Paul recently launched a new podcast alongside former ESPN personality Max Kellerman. On Monday a new episode was released and Paul shared he would trade Reaves for Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. if he were in charge of the Lakers franchise.
“If I was the Lakers I would be targeting the Memphis Grizzlies as a trade partner for Jaren Jackson,” Paul said at the 56-minute mark of the latest episode of Game Over.
The agent was then asked by Kellerman what Los Angeles would give up to land the Defensive Player of the Year. Paul said the Lakers could offer expiring contracts in addition to the last first-round picks they can offer in 2031 or 2032. Or they could trade Reaves instead.
“This comes with a very unemotional attachment because Austin is beloved, which he should be,” Paul said of possibly sending Reaves to Memphis for Jackson Jr. “He’s an underdog. And here’s the thing: there’s a world where you can do what’s best for your team and do what’s best for Austin. Because Austin deserves to get paid. Right now. I love him as a Laker but… if you put all the money into just the backcourt, your flexibility is restricted going forward to fill out the rest of the team… That’s one aspect of it.”
Paul went on to say he believes Reaves would thrive in Memphis and the Grizzlies would pay him what he deserves.
At the end of the day, Paul’s statement equals confidence and chaos. He’s reminding everyone that agents are part of the story too. They shape narratives, defend their clients, and occasionally, make headlines just for speaking their minds.
So if you see another agent carefully tiptoeing around compliments or criticisms, remember Rich Paul’s approach: bold is better. Say it loud, say it proud, and let the world react. And if your client is Austin Reaves, well… you should be side eyeing LeBron James.
