Smith and Bayless Clash Over Lakers Without LeBron

On November 5, Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless reunited on First Take and argued over whether the Los Angeles Lakers have improved without LeBron James. Smith rejected Bayless’s view that the answer was obvious, setting off a heated exchange between the longtime debate-show partners.

Bayless argued that Luka Dončić no longer had to share attention with James, whom Bayless said had declined by age 40. He also praised Dončić for developing his game and addressing areas including conditioning and defense.

Bayless went further, calling James’s time in Los Angeles overrated. Smith reacted with visible disbelief during the segment, but the discussion centered on whether the Lakers are better off without the star forward.

The pair spent four years as colleagues on First Take before Bayless left for Fox Sports in 2016. Their renewed disagreement brought their familiar rivalry back to the program, and the debate over James’s impact on the Lakers is expected to continue through the season.