The new podcast featuring friends Max Kellerman and Rich Paul at The Ringer is already making waves and Bill Simmons could not be happier.
It was a bit of a surprise when the project was announced given Paul’s position as a power broker in the sport as the agent of LeBron James. Would this be a Mind the Game on the business of agency? A platform for Paul to explore other areas of interest? Or something that would pull back the curtain on the modern day NBA and generate headlines?
As it turns out, it’s done more than just that. It’s actually started a controversy with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Rich Paul threw out a trade scenario where the Lakers could deal Austin Reaves for Jaren Jackson Jr. That apparently hasn’t set well with the team. Even LeBron himself has tried to distance himself from the story and downplay it.
But could the podcast, and the controversy that comes from it, be a 4D chess move from Celtics fan and Lakers hater Bill Simmons to sew seeds of discord within the franchise? For someone who loves NBA conspiracies himself, it has to at least be considered, right?
But according to the man himself, that’s not the case… even if it is a nice side benefit.
Bill Simmons on the conspiracy he launched the Rich Paul and Max Kellerman podcast on his Ringer channel to sabotage the Lakers 😭
“I couldn’t be more delighted that the Ringer is involved. If it’s caused trauma for Lakers fans and disarray behind the scenes, I can’t say that… pic.twitter.com/ixJ2q6we3w
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) January 15, 2026
“First of all, I would never do that,” Simmons said. “As much as I despise the Lakers I would never use a Ringer podcast to try to bring them down. That just feels like bad karma, feels like something bad would happen with something,” Simmons said.
Bill Simmons shared his initial concern that Rich Paul wouldn’t be candid on the podcast with Max Kellerman given his very active and very influential involvement in the NBA as the agent of LeBron James and many others. However, the opposite has been true as Paul’s forthrightness has already caused issues with the franchise after the hypothetical Austin Reaves trade scenario.
“Is he going to be candid? Is he going to be candid about the Lakers? He’s been incredibly candid. I was walking around LA on Monday listening to it and all of a sudden he’s talking about how the Lakers need Jaren Jackson and then it’s like, ‘well they would have to give up something to give him, maybe Austin Reaves if they don’t want to pay him.’ It sounded like my podcast but Rich is LeBron’s agent. I love it. I think this is great.”
That honesty and transparency has Simmons excited and enthusiastic about not just the show’s quality, but its capability for producing headlines. And in a world where active NBA players also have their own podcasts, why not an agent too? And if it just so happens to stir up drama behind the scenes for the Lakers, well, then that’s all the better for the person originally known as the Boston Sports Guy.
“All these guys have podcasts where they just talk about their life and the sport like they’re fans and now Rich is doing it. But he’s the most powerful agent in the sport. It is fascinating. I couldn’t be more delighted that The Ringer is involved. And if it’s caused trauma for Laker fans and disarray behind the scenes, I can’t say that was the intention, but it’s a pure delight to me as a Celtic fan to just watch this happen. So yea, unintended consequence but I’ve been really enjoying the podcast. Go Rich,” Simmons concluded.
For now, we can put the tinfoil away and rest assured that Game Over with Rich Paul and Max Kellerman is not a red herring that is just meant to wreck the Lakers franchise. But if it was true, Bill Simmons wouldn’t admit it in the middle of a mailbag segment… would he?
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