Stephen A. Smith isn’t buying the idea that the Lakers are about to surge into a deep playoff run without LeBron James.
On ESPN LA, Smith said he sees Los Angeles as a second-round team at best, and even that feels like a stretch to him. He pegged the Western Conference semifinals as the ceiling for a group now built around Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler.
“Trip to the Western Conference semifinals,” said Smith. “That’s about it.
I can’t see the Los Angeles Lakers getting any further than that. Matter of fact, I’d be proud of them if they got that far.”
He also placed the Lakers no better than fifth in the West, while making clear he had doubts about even that level of success. His biggest hang-up was the same one many critics would circle immediately: defense in the backcourt, and whether Kessler can supply enough offense to balance the lineup.
“I don’t think Luka Doncic with Austin Reaves is a backcourt that’s going to scare anybody defensively,” said Smith. “I don’t think that Walker Kessler is somebody that’s going to scare anybody offensively.”
Smith’s answer to that roster question was blunt. He said Los Angeles would have been in a stronger spot if LeBron James were still around.
“You still should’ve kept LeBron James there,” said Smith. “Because that was something they were unable to do, I find it very, very difficult to imagine that the Lakers are gonna be better off without LeBron James this upcoming season.”
ESPN LA shared the interview Monday.
The Lakers, meanwhile, are still sorting through what Kessler actually looks like in this offense when defenses load up on Doncic or Reaves. That issue showed up in the preseason finale against Denver, where the Nuggets used aggressive coverage and forced Kessler into decisions beyond simply diving to the rim.
The idea is simple enough: when the ball is kicked to him behind that pressure, he has to know whether to finish or move it along. Kessler said after the Denver game that growing into that role with both guards will take time. His scoring alone won’t tell the full story if he can turn traps into open looks for everyone else.
Against Denver, Kessler finished with six points and four assists while shooting 2-of-8. The assists hint at a useful direction, but they don’t exactly solve the bigger question of how Los Angeles handles pressure.
There’s also a new offensive piece still waiting to factor in. Collin Sexton returned to full practice Monday after dealing with lower-leg tightness, though his status for Wednesday’s opener against Golden State was still unclear.
That matters because the Lakers’ reserve ball-handling has already been an issue. Before the preseason finale, those problems helped push JJ Redick to try Quentin Grimes off the bench. Redick has since left the door open to starting Grimes, and Sexton’s return would give him another option for possessions when Doncic or Reaves are off the floor.
Sexton would not answer Smith’s concerns about the defense in the starting backcourt. But his presence could give Redick more flexibility with who handles the ball and when. For now, the Lakers head into the opener with the biggest questions still hanging: how fast Kessler adjusts, and what backcourt combinations Redick will trust once Sexton is available.
In Other News...
Walker Kessler Faces A Huge Lakers Test Right Away
Walker Kessler is about to get thrown right into the kind of spotlight that can define a Lakers season before it really gets going. In the opener against the Golden State Warriors, the big man is set for his official debut in purple and gold, and it comes after a frustrating shoulder injury limited him to just five games last season. For a team expecting him to be part of the frontcourt picture, the first night is already shaping up as a meaningful early gauge of where he stands.
JJ Redick has already framed Kesslers arrival as a developmental process, with the adjustment not just about health but about handling a bigger role and learning to mesh with new teammates. Kessler has said the pressure of joining the Lakers makes staying positive especially important, and that mindset may matter as much as anything when the season starts and the rhythm of a new team has to come together quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Austin Reaves Had The Perfect Reaction To LeBron In Sixers Gear
LeBron James in a different uniform is still the kind of sight that stops a room, and Austin Reaves had the sort of reaction plenty of Lakers fans probably felt when they saw it. After James left Los Angeles in free agency to join a 76ers group built around Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown, the former Lakers teammate took in the preseason look and made it clear the image still carries some shock value.
For Reaves, the moment lands with a little extra weight because the Lakers are moving on without James and asking him to handle a bigger offensive load this season. James, meanwhile, is chasing another championship chance in Philadelphia, which only makes the transition more striking from Los Angeles side. Even in a preseason setting, seeing a familiar face in a new jersey is the sort of thing that lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Suddenly Face A Porzingis Problem They May Not Solve Soon
Kristaps Porzingis future with the Warriors has quickly become one of those situations that hangs over a roster even before a move is made. After signing a two-year contract extension, he has recently been away because of an autoimmune disorder called POTS, leaving Golden State to navigate a major uncertainty around a player who was supposed to factor into its plans.
The Warriors have started looking into trade possibilities, but there does not appear to be an immediate solution on the horizon. For now, the more realistic outcome is that Porzingis stays put while the team waits to see how his basketball future develops, a reminder that some roster questions are bigger than the transaction window. [Read more 🡒]