Stephen A. Smith Weighs In on the Lakers’ New Look

Stephen A. Smith made quite an entrance into the Lakers’ group chat, as he’s known to do.

This offseason has been rather eventful for the team, with Luka Doncic, Austin Reeves, and Walker Kessler emerging as the standout core. Smith, of course, didn’t hold back in his typical fashion, pointing out a noticeable shift.

“I’m telling you,” he remarked. “Your three best players are white guys. This isn’t golf. And there are a lot of brothers on Team USA. This is basketball, what do you think?”

Subtle? Definitely not.

Smith wasn’t flying solo in his observations. Bomani Jones also chimed in, humorously stating, “I haven’t been this white since I left Minneapolis,” which he used to reference the George Mikan era. “If Lakers vs. Celtics became a big deal again, my teammates and I wouldn’t even know who to root for.”

Online discussions are buzzing with names like “Snowtime Lakers,” “Tres Leches,” and “Snowtown.”

The Lakers’ core stands out significantly in today’s NBA landscape. With approximately 70% to 78% of players being Black and only about 17% to 19% being White, having a trio of Doncic, Reeves, and Kessler is quite noticeable.

Interestingly, while Smith emphasized that “this isn’t golf,” the PGA Tour remains predominantly white, with around 80% of its professionals being White.

The Lakers have long been synonymous with legends like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and LeBron James, making the current trio’s heritage even more striking.

But beneath the humor lies a serious question regarding the dynamics of basketball.

Former Laker Markieff Morris brought up concerns about the new players’ toughness rather than their ethnicity. While he expressed approval of the acquisitions, he warned, “It’s going to be really soft,” and Doncic mentioned needing “some dogs in that West.”

This might be where the real issue lies.

Doncic will serve as an elite offensive catalyst, while Reeves contributes shooting and playmaking. Kessler brings size, resistance, and rim protection. Add in talents like Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton, and Los Angeles certainly has options.

There’s talent in abundance.

However, the real question is whether they possess the toughness, athletic defense, and grit to endure a competitive Western Conference full of teams ready to exploit any weakness.

In many respects, the Lakers have taken on a fresh identity.

Now, they need to demonstrate that they haven’t merely lightened their color but have also maintained their competitiveness.