LeBron James and Chris Paul have been close friends for many years. They have been very open and public about their friendship, which made their confrontations during the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round playoff series versus the Phoenix Suns all the odder.
One moment, in particular, continues to stand out: Paul’s dangerous foul on James that could’ve potentially caused long-lasting injuries.
That foul, coupled with some odd behavior from James, led many to speculate that the pair may be beefing about what transpired.
James stopped by "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on Tuesday to promote "Space Jam: A New Legacy." While there, he was pressed by guest host Arsenio Hall on whether or not he’d like to see Paul on the Lakers. (Begins at approximately 2:30.)
At that point, James revealed not only was there no beef with Paul, but he’d love to play alongside him.
“I have a horse in the race, and he goes by the name of Chris Paul,” James said of the NBA Finals matchup between the Suns and Milwaukee Bucks. “So I’ve been watching. That is my brother and we’ve known each other since my junior year of high school, his sophomore year. We actually met for the first time when we were in eighth grade. … We’ve been friends ever since.”
That’s when Hall pushed James on whether he’d want to play alongside Paul on the Lakers.
“Could it still happen? And would you like it to still happen?” Hall asked.
James laughed the query off initially, citing “tampering” rules that he may be violating with a legitimate answer.
“You probably can’t talk about that,” Hall interjected. “Of course, you’d love to play with your friend. We’d love it.”
And that’s when James gave his most honest response: “Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely,” he replied.
It’s something of an open secret at this point that Paul is likely done in Phoenix after this season.
Will L.A. be where he ultimately lands? Time will tell.
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