Any time a new owner takes over a sports franchise, more often than not they begin putting in people who align with their vision into roles within the front office. In the case of new Los Angeles Lakers owners Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, one name that is already popping up as a potential addition is recently retired point guard Chris Paul.
Iger used to be a season ticket holder for the L.A. Clippers and developed a close relationship with Paul during the time he played for the franchise. And according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, that relationship with Iger could lead to Paul joining the Lakers’ front office:
Meanwhile, in projecting what a new Lakers front office could eventually look like, multiple sources around the league suggested to ESPN that the recently retired Chris Paul could have a role.
Paul and Iger became close while the point guard played for the Clippers and Iger was a season-ticket holder.
Their relationship has only strengthened over the years, sources said, with Iger hosting a book launch event at his house in 2023 for Paul’s memoir, “Sixty-One,” and Paul visiting Iger at his Disney office in Burbank, California, in March to support his friend when he cleared out his belongings to close out a 52-year run with the company.
Paul is widely considered one of the most intelligent and high IQ players the NBA has ever seen, so him taking on a front office role in the future is not farfetched at all. And with a good friend taking over the Lakers, it is an obvious avenue to get into the next stage of his life post-retirement. Whether or not Paul actually has interest in such a role is unclear, but it would be ironic for him to finally join the Lakers, but only after he has retired from the NBA.
He also has a close relationship with Lakers head coach JJ Redick as former teammates, so perhaps that is a factor for Paul as well.
There were already multiple new front office additions under Walter as he was focused on really building out the infrastructure of this team. But under Iger and Kushner, things are likely to go in a different direction so it will be interesting to see how everything plays out and who he trusts to put in these important roles.
Bob Iger expected to be more ‘actively involved’ than Josh Kushner as Lakers’ owner
Something that will likely add to the rumors of Paul potentially joining the Lakers’ front office is the fact that it is expected to be Iger operating as the more involved owner while Kushner will be more in the background.
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