Rich Paul's Warriors trade rejection leaves superstar duo in mediocrity

Further details have emerged from the Golden State Warriors blockbuster attempt to lure LeBron James to the Bay prior to February's mid-season trade deadline.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein on Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers would have entertained a trade with the Warriors if it were not for the input of James' long-time agent Rich Paul.

Rich Paul's determination to keep LeBron James in L.A. has left both he and Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry in a state of mediocrity

Despite initial dialogue from an ownership level, and Draymond Green's attempts to entice the 4x MVP to Golden State, Paul "implored both teams to scrap the concept," according to Stein, "largely because he wanted to insulate James from potential backlash over switching teams for the fourth time in his career."

Would the backlash have stemmed over switching teams for a fourth time, or switching to the Warriors specifically? The destination is just as important as the decision to depart -- you only have to see Kevin Durant's move to Golden State in 2016 to understand that.

While James would have faced some criticism, there are a number of mitigating factors that could have lessened the reaction. Firstly, it would have been via trade not free agency, bringing with it a sense of responsibility from the organization. Angry Laker fans may have turned their attention to ownership and the front office, rather than James individually.

Some may rightly argue that the historically great rivalry between James and Warrior superstar Stephen Curry should remain as such. Yet it's not as if the two legends would be teaming up exactly in the prime of their careers -- if they went out and won a championship together next season at 40 and 37-years-old respectively, that should have only strengthened their legacy and perhaps raised serious question marks on the young stars around the league.

We've also since got a taste of what a James and Curry-led team looks like, with their Olympic performances only stirring speculation of a union at NBA level, partly because there's a renewed interest in seeing it.

Whatever the reasoning, Paul's pursuit to "scrap the concept" has left both superstars in a worse position. The Lakers and Warriors will never be truly mediocre while James and Curry remain, but in terms of their standing within the landscape of the league, they're both average teams likely to be around the Play-In Tournament spots again next season.

The inactivity of both front office's is now being heavily scrutinized and put under the microscope, but we may not have reached this position had Paul been more open to the idea of his client joining the Warriors way back in February.