The Lakers are mired in a difficult season that saw them enter the All-Star break with a 27-31 record. Their acquisition of Russell Westbrook hasn't gone as planned, as he, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have struggled to mesh and play collectively.
Despite their issues, Los Angeles didn't make any moves to upgrade or change up its team at the 2022 NBA trade deadline. That has apparently caused the Lakers' relationship with James' agents at Klutch Sports to become frayed.
MORE: Steph Curry wins All-Star Game MVP after epic 3-point performance
Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus reports Klutch is "not happy with" Lakers GM Rob Pelinka. Specifically, they are unhappy that he didn't accept a trade that would have brought John Wall to the Lakers.
According to multiple NBA sources, Klutch is not happy with Pelinka. The sentiment has long percolated, but it reached a boil when Pelinka refused to trade Westbrook and a future first-round pick (likely 2027) for Houston Rockets guard and Klutch client John Wall.
Why didn't the Lakers make the trade? Wall isn't exactly a perfect fit or definite upgrade over Westbrook. He also hasn't played during the 2021-22 season (though he is reportedly healthy), so that played a part in the decision.
However, as Pincus reports, Wall's absence from the Rockets lineup is part of why Klutch wanted the Lakers to get him so badly; it would have helped get him out of "a bad situation" while potentially upgrading James' supporting cast.
The move didn't make sense for the Lakers from a basketball standpoint as a significant upgrade over Westbrook, even though Wall averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists per game last year. Wall hasn't played this season, with the Rockets focusing on developing younger players. From the Klutch point of view, the Lakers would get their client out of a bad situation in Houston and undo the Westbrook mistake.
Wall would likely have been a better fit for the Lakers than Westbrook considering that he is a career 32.3 percent 3-point shooter. Westbrook is just a 30.5-percent shooter who has made just 29.3 percent of his deep shots over the last five seasons.
MORE: Awkwardness between Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen on display at All-Star Game
That said, the move would have come with significant risk. Wall is set to make more than $47 million during the final season of his deal and has played just 72 games since the start of the 2018-19 NBA season. Surrendering a future first-round pick for a player that isn't necessarily an upgrade wasn't a risk that Pelinka was willing to take.
Nonetheless, the Lakers' decision to decline that trade opportunity and roll with the unit they have has created more tension between Klutch and Los Angeles. How will that impact the Lakers? Well, it could mean that James could move on following the 2022-23 NBA season if he doesn't envision the Lakers being contenders.
MORE: LeBron James explains moment with Michael Jordan at NBA All-Star celebration
James spoke about the possibility of returning to Cleveland as his career goes on. He also discussed his desire to play with his son, Bronny, at the end of his NBA career.
As such, James' future is uncertain. And if his representation is frustrated with the Lakers, that could spell trouble for them down the line — unless the team can make an unexpected playoff run from the ninth seed in the West or significantly retool during the 2022 NBA offseason.
