LRMR is back in with the Cavaliers

LRMR has become kind of like C.O.B.R.A. from “G.I. Joe” to people. You don’t know what they do or how they work, exactly, you just know that they’re the bad guys. The marketing firm built around LeBron James and his brand are synonymous with the talk about how players care too much about their brand, and the insider nature of the organization along with its associations with William Wesley make it none too popular. In reality, this is all just backlash around James; who cares who does what in terms of brand management in the NBA? Does it affect anything on the floor? Not really. Still, it should be noted that for the first time since James departed for Miami, LRMR is back in business with the Cavaliers.

Cavaliers’ blog WFNY spoke to Rich Paul, the “R” in LRMR after one of his newest clients for his worth with CAA wound up in Cleveland. Paul represents Tristan Thompson, the Cavaliers’ fourth pick in the NBA Draft for CAA, the megastar agency that holds LeBron, Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony in its fold. From WFNY:

Clad in a tailored navy blue sport coat topped off with a 2011 NBA Draft pin in his lapel on this day, the 5-foot-10-inch Paul finds himself in a land of giants. Thompson is just the latest member of his stable of NBA talent as names like Houston’s Jonny Flynn and Los Angeles’ Eric Bledsoe have already helped pave the way for the budding Creative Arts Agency representative. Learning bits and pieces from established reps like Leon Rose, Paul seems focused to make his name in the agent arena. And while LRMR will continue to operate as the marketing arm, Paul tells WFNY that his work with CAA is something completely independent.

via Rich Paul Hopes LeBron James and Dan Gilbert Can Patch Things Up | WaitingForNextYear.

There’s got to be some uneasiness from Cavs fans. After all, just the word LRMR is enough to create outrage there. And CAA is no friend of the fanbase, either. But this is the reality. LRMR will use its connections through James, who WFNY notes Thompson calls “a big brother,” to further their own individual goals. The members of LRMR haven’t been necessarily impressive with their decision in or outside of LRMR beyond “stay friends with James,” but the roster of players they influence is starting to grow. Their sphere of influence could be expanding more with each day.

Have fun thinking that one through, Cavs fans and Heat-haters alike.