Lakers’ woes: Stephen A. Smith rips team, says ‘some of them you can’t even give away for a box of cookies’
Stephen A. Smith. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - ESPN's Stephen A. Smith did not hold back when addressing the struggles of the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday’s episode of "First Take," calling some of the players "pathetic."
"They are an absolute mess," Smith said. He went on to say the Lakers roster is "riffed with individuals who have betrayed LeBron James, who have betrayed Anthony Davis" and "have betrayed Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka."
"For the most part [LeBron James] has been fantastic. Anthony Davis has played like an MVP candidate… all you have to do is your damn job and the Lakers have an abundance of Lakers who aren’t doing a damn thing," he added. "Some of them you can’t even give away for a box of cookies. It’s really that pathetic right now."
Since winning the NBA’s first-ever In Season Tournament, the Los Angeles Lakers have struggled.
The Men in Purple and Gold started 2024 off on a sour note. Despite strong performances from Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves, they suffered a brutal 110-96 loss at home against Miami, without Heat superstar Jimmy Butler, on Wednesday night. The loss came after the Lakers went 6-8 in December and now, alarms are going off in Laker Nation.
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As of Thursday, the Lakers were ranked 10th in the Western Conference. So, if the playoffs were to begin, they’d be in the play-in tournament. Coincidentally, the Lakers are eight games behind the first-place Minnesota Timberwolves – the team the Lakers knocked out of the playoffs last season on their journey to the Western Conference Finals.
The Lakers are currently on a three-game losing streak and, as of now, their playoff aspirations seem uncertain.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) guarded by Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (5). (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
So, what’s to blame for the Lakers’ woes?
"A little bit of everything right now," Lakers coach Darvin Ham said in Wednesday’s post-game interview, as reported by ESPN. "We’re not executing. That team played harder than us tonight, executed better than us tonight, more physical than us tonight. We got outworked tonight, so it’s a bit of everything right now."
Legendary Laker Earvin "Magic" Johnson also shared his thoughts on social media, calling the loss "disappointing."
Ham continues to make changes to the starting lineup and went with LeBron James, Reaves, Davis, Cam Reddish and Taurean Prince for Wednesday's matchup.
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) goes up in traffic during the NBA game between the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers on January 03, 2024, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
Ham added the Lakers have been plagued by injuries. D’Angelo Russell hasn’t quite found his groove this season. He was removed from the starting lineup and missed his second-straight game with a bruised tailbone. Rui Hachimura also missed his first game of the season due to a calf strain.
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"Anytime you lose, the vibe should be off, you know?" Reaves told reporters. "I don’t expect us to be happy with how we’ve played. So, until we figure that out, the vibe should be off…we’ve got to win games."
Head coach Darvin Ham and Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
ESPN also reported that once Russell is healthy, Ham said he’ll consider going back to the starting lineup of James, Reaves, Davis, Russell, and Jarred Vanderbilt.
"We’ve just got to compete, play hard and go out with a mindset of a must-win mentality," Ham said.
Jovan Buha with The Athletic also reported sources said there is a "growing disconnect" in the locker room linked to Ham's questionable lineups, rotations and adjustments.
The Lakers hope to get back to a .500 record Friday night against Memphis. On Sunday, the Lakers face their hallway rivals, the LA Clippers, who are on a roll since figuring things out after acquiring James Harden. The Clippers are currently ranked in fourth place.