"Where's Your Dignity?": Stephen A. Smith Slams Lakers Backcourt For Being More Injury-Prone Than LeBron James

Stephen A. Smith’s relationship with LeBron James is more complex than the vocabulary words that he uses on “First Take.” Still, Smith gives credit where it’s due, and in the case of the King, he apparently deserves it more than his two co-stars.

Speaking on “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” SAS blasted the Lakers’ starting backcourt for being more susceptible to injuries than the 41-year-old James. “How the hell is he healthy, and Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves aren’t healthy?” Smith wondered out loud. “When does the shame kick in?”

Citing some numbers, Smith went on to take shots at just about every other NBA player making a relatively decent salary. “If the man is known for spending a million and a half dollars on his body to stay healthy, why the hell ain’t you doing it?” Smith questioned. “The league’s average [player contract] is $10 million a year…how come you can’t take care of your body the way LeBron James takes care of his body?”

Money, of course, can’t buy the insatiable drive for excellence that James has displayed for over two decades. Still, to Smith’s point, it would behoove today’s NBA athletes to take advantage of advancements in nutrition and treatment so they can at least come close to LBJ’s longevity.

Smith wasn’t done with his facts and figures, though: “Luka’s in his 20s. If I remember correctly, so is Austin Reaves. LeBron is 41. They’re injured, and he’s healthy. How?”

At this point, the Lakers would be fortunate to have either Dončić or Reaves on the court in their first-round series against the Houston Rockets. Last week, it was reported that Dončić traveled to Spain with the intention of finding ways to expedite his recovery.

But the stark reality is, Dončić’s hamstring and Reaves’ oblique could take some more weeks to recover. And that’s a luxury that the Lakers don’t have as they face a dangerous Rockets squad led by Kevin Durant. A 37-year-old Durant, at that.

“I just don’t get it,” Smith concluded.