ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith said on May 6, 2026, that LeBron James should leave the Los Angeles Lakers and finish his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers if he is serious about winning another NBA championship.
Speaking on ESPN, Smith argued the current Lakers roster does not stack up as a legitimate contender. He pointed to the crowded Western Conference, highlighting Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder as major obstacles. “Barring a catastrophic injury to mainly SGA, Lakers going home,” Smith said.
Smith contrasted Los Angeles with Cleveland, noting that the Cavaliers’ core of Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley offers a clearer path to a title. Cleveland trails 1-0 to the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals, yet Smith maintains the team’s upside surpasses what the Lakers can currently deliver.
“You cannot look at the Lakers and legitimately say they’re in that championship equation,” Smith told viewers. “In Cleveland, in the Eastern Conference, that would not be the case.”
The comments have reignited speculation about a potential reunion between James and the franchise with which he won championships in 2016. Neither James nor the Cavaliers have addressed Smith’s remarks, but the conversation is expected to persist as Cleveland’s postseason unfolds.
Source: Hoops Wire
