Steven A. Smith makes bold statement about LeBron James and he is right
The Los Angeles Lakers were just swept out of the NBA playoffs by the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. And yes, that’s going to dominate the headlines. But if we’re being honest about the Lakers season as a whole, there’s another reality people need to acknowledge: Without LeBron James, the Lakers probably don’t even make the playoffs.
MORE: 5 Giannis Antetokounmpo mock trades Milwaukee can make When Steven A. Smith was asked on First Take when he thought of the Lakers season, he said: “This season, to me, solidified a level of greatness for LeBron that has gone vastly underappreciated. ” LeBron Dragged This Team Through the Season At 41 years old, James was still the engine that kept the Lakers alive for most of the year.
The roster had flaws all season long: Inconsistent depth Defensive issues Injury concerns Unreliable secondary scoring And yet, the Lakers still found themselves in the postseason because LeBron continued doing things players his age simply are not supposed to do. May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) handles the ball against Houston Rockets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (2) during the second quarter of game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images The Houston Series Could Have Gone Very Differently People already seem to be forgetting how close the Lakers came to an early exit against the Houston Rockets.
If not for LeBron: The Lakers likely lose that series The offense completely stalls late in games The Rockets overwhelm them physically James controlled tempo, created offense, and repeatedly made winning plays when the Lakers desperately needed them. That series reminded everyone that even at this stage of his career, LeBron can still take over stretches of playoff basketball. The Thunder Were Simply Too Much Against Oklahoma City, though, reality finally hit.
The Thunder are: Younger Deeper Faster More athletic And unlike previous opponents, they had the personnel to survive even when LeBron played well. That’s not an indictment of James. That’s just the reality of where the Lakers roster stands compared to a championship-level team like OKC.