LeBron James stands at a crossroads that few superstars ever face. At 41, his production still demands respect, yet every move is examined through the lens of fit with the Los Angeles Lakers. As Luka Doncic settles in as the offensive engine, questions about James’ role grow louder. That backdrop set the stage for a clear message from his agent, Rich Paul.

“The ceiling is who he is or who he has been for his career,” Paul told Max Kellerman on Game Over. “But the floor was Karl Malone. Like if LeBron just decided to set screens, pop… like last night, right?”

In a setup where James is the screener and Doncic is the ball-handler, blitzing Doncic during the action becomes almost impossible because of James’ ability to read the floor. The forward immediately becomes a pressure point for defenses with his off-ball gravity, and teammates start benefitting from simplified reads and clean looks. Paul’s argument was about efficiency.

This is the exact kind of action that was the foundation of Malone’s game. Paired with Utah Jazz legend John Stockton, Malone became one of the league’s top pick-and-roll threats, scoring in bunches and making the game easier for his teammates. The duo played together for the Jazz for 18 seasons (1985-2003), and were one of the greatest pick-and-roll partnerships ever, leading the Jazz to two NBA Finals appearances.

After the Doncic trade in February last year, James has transitioned almost entirely as an off-ball weapon for the Lakers, leaving the dribbling to Luka and backcourt-mate Austin Reaves, who have averaged a combined 15.1 assists this season, while James thrives in a secondary role.

In the past, James has even acknowledged the comparison to Malone. After surpassing him for 2nd in the all-time scoring leaderboard, James told ESPN:

“Guys that just took care of their bodies for the majority of their career and always wanted to be available… I think myself and him, we always just tried to be in uniform and make plays and stay in condition and try to stay healthy.”

NBA Fans Push Back on Rich Paul’s LeBron James-Karl Malone Comparison

Social media fired back almost immediately after clips of the segment between Max Kellerman and Rich Paul went viral, with many fans viewing the remarks as disrespectful to Malone. One reaction in particular called out Paul directly:

“Pretty disrespectful to one of the all-time greats in Malone. Why would he feel the need to do this?”

They emphasized Paul’s casual phrasing and how it diminished Malone’s late career achievements. For many, the comment seemed particularly ill-timed with the Lakers forward’s advanced age, and the comparison implies a decline. Others focused more on Malone’s statistical dominance, highlighting the sheer production the forward managed in his prime.

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“Prime Karl Malone was a two-time league MVP, come on, Rich, the more he talks, the worse he gets 🤣🤣🤣🤣.”

The user pointed out how Paul’s offhanded remarks didn’t capture the sustained excellence Malone’s era in Utah delivered, with fans arguing that even seasoned analysts rarely trivialize legacies like this. Some had a more surprised tone to illustrate the perceived absurdity of the comparison.

“Prime Karl Malone was putting up 30 and 10 tf is this n—- yapping about,” another comment read, which stressed the enormous gap between Malone at his peak and James‘ current status. It highlighted the idea that, especially as James’ agent, Paul’s comments carry weight even if they’re intended for strategy discussion rather than historical judgments.

Others used sarcasm to criticize the framing of the comparison, reframing Paul’s argument in the opposite direction to highlight its silliness.

“His floor is Draymond Green.” This post highlighted how the comparison undervalued Malone while exaggerating James’ limitations, and it showed how quickly NBA conversations pivot from analysis to ridicule when perceived disrespect enters the conversation.

Finally, some expressed general frustration about how many of Rich Paul’s discussions circle back to LeBron James, regardless of context.

“Do these n—-s have anything else to talk about other than Bron??” The blunt remark reflected growing fatigue with LeBron James dominating every conversation tied to the Los Angeles Lakers. For many, it underscored how league-wide discourse often narrows to one name, even as other stars and storylines deserve the same spotlight and respect.