The war of words over Austin Reaves’ future spilled from podcasts to the Purple and Gold court on Tuesday night. Rich Paul’s shocking suggestion that the Los Angeles Lakers should trade Reaves for Jaren Jackson Jr. has caused significant ripples. In fact, one of Reaves’ agents, Reggie Berry of AMR agency, was seen talking face-to-face with LeBron James’ agent during the Lakers vs. Hawks game.

“The two spoke for more than five minutes, and the topic of conversation was Paul’s public trade scenario regarding Reaves,” Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported.

Now, after winning 141-116 against the Hawks, James, the star of the night (31/9/10), spoke to the media.

“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 veteran said, addressing the elephant in the room. “And I hope people know that. I hope people know that, and if they’re not sensible to know that, then I don’t know what to tell them.”

James informed that he hadn’t had any conversation with Paul, as he ventured into the world of podcasting with Max Kellerman last month. Meanwhile, the Lakers veteran also clarified that there is no fallout between him and Austin Reaves.

“AR knows how I feel about him,” James continued. “All you got to do is look at us on the bench. Me and AR talk every single day. So, AR knows how I feel about him, and I hope AR, or his camp, don’t look at me and think this is words from me are coming through Rich.”

Interestingly enough, Paul’s chosen one in the Reaves trade, the Memphis Grizzlies big man Jackson Jr., didn’t believe his ears. A trade suggestion that would take him to the Lakers? That has to be technology’s trick!

Austin Reaves’ supposed replacement couldn’t believe Rich Paul’s idea

The podcast served as pure entertainment for Jaren Jackson Jr…

“There’s just a lot of podcasts,” he told The Athletic, laughing off the statement when he heard it. “At first, I didn’t think it was real. You have to figure out if it’s real, usually now, and I’m not as versed technology-wise as these people younger than me. I was figuring out of it’s AI, deep fake, all that stuff. That’s all I had, I didn’t really have much of a reaction.”

The two-time All-Star could’ve been a strong fit for the Los Angeles Lakers as a potential roster upgrade. He averages 18.5 points per game, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while converting 47.9% from the field. The production signals reliability, balance, and two-way impact, reinforcing Paul’s view that he is a key trade target this season.

Jackson Jr. also profiles as a rim protector who can stretch the floor, which matters to the Lakers as Jaxson Hayes manages a hamstring setback. Meanwhile, depth concerns at the center intensify behind Deandre Ayton, whom the fans called out recently after a streak of inconsistent performances. Adding Jackson Jr. would stabilize rotations and reduce strain across lineups for playoff ambitions. But that deal won’t be happening!

For now, Reaves stays in LA while James’ agent continues to get heat from the NBA community.

Earlier, Chandler Parsons deemed Paul’s statement “tone deaf” and warned the Lakers about a possible locker room rift… However, maybe things are settled for now because the Lakers’ veteran also shared his opinion on the matter. But as you know, the stories keep changing in the NBA’s bigger picture.