Reminding Fans Why Steph Curry and LeBron James Are Home, Stephen A. Smith Explains Why Not Stacking Superstars Is Better for NBA

The Oklahoma City Thunder may have been the favorites to make the NBA Finals, but the Indiana Pacers certainly weren’t. What both teams have in common, though, is their exciting youth and game-changing depth. After years of franchises stacking superstars and crafting big threes, the league is shifting once again to prioritize depth. With the league’s new CBA forcing teams to make tough decisions, the Pacers may just be the blueprint for realistic team building.

Stephen A. Smith agrees that the era of pairing superstars together and hoping it works is over, and for good reason. Outside of the Golden State Warriors, who seamlessly implemented Kevin Durant into what was already a championship-caliber squad, stacking stars has proven unsuccessful come playoff time due to health risks and exposed weaknesses.

Not only have teams built around three max players failed to win championships, but they’ve also failed to even make a deep playoff run. Stephen A. pointed out the long list of stars who were sent home early, many of whom are on the same team. Meanwhile, two teams with only one player each who could be considered a top-10 player are about to face off for the title.

“It’s not just because of the results. I mean KD, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, they are home. Jimmy Butler, Steph Curry, Draymond Green, they are home. LeBron James, Luka Doncic, they are home,” Smith said on First Take. The longtime sports personality underlined how much more talent teams could have if they spread out their money.

The 57-year-old then recalled that Kawhi Leonard, despite his stardom as a player, has often refused to show off his personality. Yet the two-time champion still “blackmailed” the Los Angeles Clippers into trading for Paul George, holding out and even threatening to sign elsewhere if the Clippers didn’t send a kings ransom to OKC at the time.

“Steve Ballmer couldn’t afford to do that, he got Kawhi Leonard,” Stephen A. continued. “And Kawhi Leonard actually made news this year because he was actually giving postgame interviews. And he actually had something to say. We actually saw him complete sentences and talk. We were shocked.”

After receiving some pushback from his cohosts for talking down on Leonard’s stoic personality, he had to remind the crew that he knows what he’s talking about. “I would like to remind y’all, that y’all constantly, constantly talk about me and you say, ‘Hey, the money man’ and all of this other stuff. Well guess what? I kinda know what it takes to make some d*mn money,” Smith said adamantly.

Smith then explained his reasoning as to why the NBA is better off without teams that stack stars, both on and off the court. “What we’ve seen is the dissipation of a priority from stars to go about the business of committing themselves to promoting the brand. Not just by winning basketball games, but by all the elements that come with promoting the game,” he continued.

When superstars join forces, Smith believes they feel less of a responsibility to represent the franchise compared to when stars are more spread out. Despite the fact that, in order to be a pro athlete, you need to be obscenely competitive, Smith still believes that money changes people, and stars especially.

Teams like the Pacers and Thunder, however, are exactly what the NBA wants to see from its franchises. Both squads boast deep rotations built by smart trades and good drafting. If the NBA hopes to continue to build on its newfound parity, the league will have to hope this is more than just a short trend and that other teams can follow suit.