Stephen A. Smith took a blowtorch to the Lakers’ new roster on Wednesday, and he didn’t bother with subtlety. He posted a clip on X with a blunt question: “3 WHITE DUDES?! The Lakers Really Think THIS Can Win a Championship?”
The ESPN commentator went further in the full episode of his YouTube show. He argued that a team built around Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and newly acquired center Walker Kessler simply doesn’t fit what wins in the modern NBA. And then he connected it directly to LeBron James leaving Los Angeles last summer.
“The Los Angeles Lakers, you ain’t going anywhere being led by three white dudes in today’s generation of basketball,” Smith said. “I’m letting you know right now. Rob Pelinka has done made this white dude central, no wonder LeBron James walked out the door.”
That last part is what turned the conversation from a hot take into something with more teeth. Smith framed the Lakers’ roster construction not just as a bad bet on paper, but as the reason their biggest star walked. He painted Pelinka’s moves as a strategic shift that James couldn’t get behind.
Now, let’s be real here. The Lakers didn’t exactly plan to go this direction. They traded Anthony Davis for Doncic in a deal that fell into their lap. Reaves emerged as a reliable third option rather than a guy they targeted as a centerpiece. And Kessler came over in a deal this offseason that gave up some future picks. But Smith’s point isn’t really about how they got there. It’s about what they are now.
Doncic is a top-five player when healthy. Reaves proved he can handle big moments in the playoffs. Kessler gives them a rim protector who doesn’t need the ball. On paper, that’s a functional core. But Smith’s argument taps into a perception problem that’s been buzzing around the league since the trade went through. Can three white players really be the engine of a title team in a league dominated by Black athleticism? It’s an uncomfortable question, and Smith pushed it right into the open.
Fans split immediately. Some called Smith old-fashioned, pointing out that Doncic is an MVP candidate and Reaves just averaged 18 points in the Western Conference Finals two years ago. Others agreed with the basic premise that the Lakers lack the two-way juice you need in June.
For what it’s worth, the Lakers haven’t responded publicly. They’re probably fine letting the noise swirl while they figure out their actual rotation. But Smith’s comments land at a weird time. The team is still adjusting to life without James, and every roster critique gets magnified. Pelinka has taken heat before for how he built around LeBron. Now he’s getting heat for how he built after him.
The real answer won’t come from TV segments. It’ll come from whether Doncic can carry a team through four playoff rounds and whether Reaves and Kessler can hold up on defense against the best in the West. That’s a long way from settled. But Smith made sure nobody forgets the questions are there.
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