Stephen A. and Skip Clash Over Lakers Better Off Without LeBron

Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless reignited their rivalry Thursday morning on “First Take” over whether the Los Angeles Lakers are better off without LeBron James.

The iconic duo, who worked together on the show for four years before Bayless left for Fox Sports in 2016, reunited for a heated segment.

Smith posed the question directly: “Isn’t that obvious to you?”

“No!” Smith shouted back.

Bayless argued that Luka Dončić had grown frustrated sharing the spotlight with a 40-year-old James who could no longer meet his own standards.

“I believe that Luka Dončić got sick and tired of having to share the stage with a LeBron James who couldn’t live up to being LeBron James anymore, as he hit 40 years of old,” Bayless said.

Smith responded by putting his hand over his face and saying, “Oh my god.”

Bayless then praised Dončić for improving his physical shape and defense over the years.

“Now the stage has been cleared of a LeBron James who, I’ve gotta say this, his LA tenure was completely overrated,” Bayless added.

The debate marks the first time the two have debated this specific question since Bayless departed “First Take” in 2016.

During their four-year run together, Smith and Bayless became known for their polarizing, high-energy arguments that drew millions of viewers.

Bayless left ESPN in 2016 to launch “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed” on Fox Sports, later becoming co-host of “The Skip Bayless Show.”

Smith has remained the face of “First Take,” which has expanded into multiple daily editions and a weekend version.

The Lakers entered Thursday’s game with a 6-3 record, sitting third in the Western Conference.

James, who turned 40 in December 2025, is averaging 24.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 8.9 assists this season.

Dončić, acquired in a blockbuster trade from the Dallas Mavericks in February 2025, is averaging 27.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.8 assists.

The Lakers made the Western Conference Finals in James’ first season with the team in 2018-19, then won the NBA championship in the 2020 bubble season.

Since that title, the Lakers have advanced past the first round only once, in 2023, when they reached the Western Conference Finals and lost to the Denver Nuggets.

James signed a two-year, $97.1 million extension with the Lakers in August 2024, which runs through the 2026-27 season.

Dončić is under contract through the 2027-28 season after signing a five-year, $207 million supermax extension with the Mavericks in 2021, which transferred to the Lakers in the trade.

The Lakers have won 17 NBA championships, tied with the Boston Celtics for the most in league history.

Smith, 58, has been with ESPN since 2005 and is also a commentator on NBA Countdown and a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Bayless, 74, began his career at the Miami Herald and later wrote for the Chicago Tribune and Dallas Morning News before joining ESPN in 2004.

The two have a long history of on-air clashes, including a memorable 2015 argument over whether James or Kevin Durant was the better player.

Thursday’s segment was the first time they debated the specific question of the Lakers’ performance without James.