Miami Heat forward LeBron James is leaving the agency that represents his teammates Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, according to a report in the South Florida Sun Sentinel Thursday.
The reigning NBA MVP will no longer be represented by the Creative Artists Agency, choosing to instead partner with longtime friend Rich Paul. According to the Sun Sentinel, Paul's client list also includes Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Tristan Thompson and Jonny Flynn.
Leon Rose had represented James since 2005, and joined CAA in 2007. Wade and Bosh are represented by Henry Thomas. Both teammates had been made aware of James' move.
The fact that all three players were represented by the same agency is among the factors that brought the three together in Miami during the summer of 2010.
A source told the Sun Sentinel that although James can opt out of his Heat contract in 2014, that played no role in his decision to switch agencies. The new agency can only begin collecting fees on new contracts, and not his existing Heat contract.
James and Paul are already linked through the LRMR Marketing Company, a joint venture that also includes James' longtime friends and associates Maverick Carter and Randy Mims. LRMR helped facilitate James' marketing deal with Fenway Sports Group and his ownership stake in Liverpool FC of the English Premier League.
James and the Heat open training camp later this month, with the opening game of the 2012-2013 season coming on Oct. 30.
