Heading into this season, the Los Angeles Lakers have a lot to prove. They are coming off of a terrible season in which they couldn’t even make it to the playoffs despite having seasoned veterans like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook. They were completely swept by a Kawhi Leonard-less Clippers, and now, some are wondering whether or not the Lakers can bounce back as constructed.

The battle of Los Angeles should be interesting this year, especially with Kawhi back. Some still believe the Lakers can show they have what it takes to compete, but if you were to ask Stephen A. Smith, he would say otherwise.

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During yesterday’s episode of First Take, Smith attempted to hit the Lakers with a harsh reality. As you can see in the clip below, Smith makes it clear that the Lakers have very little chance of being better than the Clippers next season. Even with LeBron committing to the team, Smith has very little faith.

“Lakers ain’t even the best team in LA,” Smith said. “The Clippers are mopping the streets of LA with the Los Angeles Lakers!”

Only time will tell whether or not Smith’s prediction will come true. In the meantime, stay tuned to HNHH for more news and updates from the basketball world.