Was Stephen A. Smith the happiest person on LeBron James’ return game on Saturday? Maybe or maybe not. But he surely had an odd grin on his face while watching the clips of the match that witnessed the LA Lakers lose 115-146 to the Chicago Bulls. Now, here’s the doubt: Was the veteran happy that LA lost? Quite mysterious isn’t it?
But, that’s beside the point. Because recently bumped into the Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and had a candid conversation. Well, this sudden meet was days before LeBron James came back to the court to have a “rusty” 17-point game vs. the Bulls.
Sharing the insights of their conversation SAS said: “Rob Pelinka rolled up on me at the Lakers game a couple of weeks ago. He said, ‘We know you root for us. We know where you want to be in June.’ I said, ‘You’re damn right. I ain’t apologizing for nobody.’ Everybody knows my dream matchup is the Lakers vs. Miami, strictly for social reasons. Obviously, the Miami Heat ain’t going to be able to do that for me this year, okay? But I’m still holding out hope for the Lakers.”
NCAA, College League, USA Football: CFP National Championship-Ohio State at Notre Dame Jan 20, 2025 Atlanta, GA, USA ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith on the ESPN First Take set at the CFP Fan Central at the George World Congress Center. Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium Georgia United States, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKirbyxLeex 20250120_cec_al2_011
Well, it looks like Pelinka made it clear to the ESPN vet that he knew where his loyalty stood. Meanwhile, Stephen A. expressed a desire and that is to see the LA Lakers go up against the Miami Heat in the finals. Well, it could be a cheeky jab at LeBron James because Miami is his former team. But sadly, that won’t be happening this season because the Heat may not make it so far.
And while SAS was in an oddly jovial mood at his ESPN studio discussing the games of the past week, the King made a big move. Interestingly enough, Bron and SAS would most likely be in the same building next week as Pat McAfee’s studio is about to light up with something grand. So, what is it?
What move did LeBron James make that’s about to shake up ESPN?
The Lakers are turning heads this season, storming toward the playoffs. But here’s the real showstopper—LeBron James and Luka Doncic, a duo that’s pure box office. Then came Monday. Pat McAfee, buzzing with excitement, dropped a bombshell about King James. No buildup, no hesitation—just a straight-up revelation no one saw coming.
McAfee’s announcement left his studio buzzing as he teased a major update on the Lakers superstar coming later this week. The excitement was real, and his crew couldn’t hide their reactions. “Obviously, we follow the NBA a lot closer…I dont want to give anything anyway…LeBron James is going to be on the show this week,” Pat McAfee declared via X. McAfee’s crew was on edge. When was LeBron, the Lakers’ 4x champ and the NBA’s all-time top scorer, making his grand entrance? The suspense was real. Someone finally blurted out—“Today?”
Dec 21, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) smiles after his team scored against the Sacramento Kings during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
The energy is wild. Stephen A. Smith is stirring the pot and Rob Pelinka is keeping tabs. Meanwhile, the Akron Hammer is about to steal the spotlight, not his first time, though. And, the Lakers are rolling, but the real action? It’s happening off the court. Pat McAfee’s got something big, and with King James in the mix, you just know it’s about to be must-watch chaos. Stay tuned.
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