Stephen A. Smith Makes Bold Claim Following Luka Doncic's Trade to the Lakers, Hints Former Mavs Star's Stature Has Exceeded That of LeBron James, 'This is no longer your franchise'

Luka Doncic's trade to LA Lakers has left the fans both dejected and excited. While at one end Mavericks fans are still finding it hard to wrap their head around the fact that the Serbian is not a part of the franchise anymore, there is another faction of the enthusiasts who are awaiting to witness Luka Magic and LeBron James playing for the same side. Doncic's trade to the LA Lakers has the world talking about, thus it was only a matter of time before one of the foremost analysts Stephen A. Smith would express his thoughts on the bombshell trade.

Also Read | NBA insider reveals Anthony Davis' alleged rift with Lakers led to blockbuster trade

Stephen A. Smith Ranks Luka Doncic Above LeBron James in One Aspect

The ever frank and straightforward Stephen A. Smith laid out his views on Luka Doncic to the LA Lakers trade and made it known that Doncic's stature has reached a level where the Lakers could be attributed as his franchise. According to Smith, Doncic's stardom has somewhat exceeded that of LeBron James, as unlike Doncic, the franchises that King James has played for, never were labelled as his franchises.

“This is no longer your franchise, this is Luka Doncic's franchise now,” Smith said. “No one has ever said that in the 22 years that LeBron James has been in the NBA. Not Cleveland, not Miami, not Cleveland again, not LA, not even the league.”

Also Read | LeBron James sets the record straight on his bond with Anthony Davis following controversial report

Luka Doncic vs LeBron James: Too Early to Draw Parallels

Smith makes an intriguing point as though he is still going strong, a 40-year-old LeBron James does not come as appealing as the 25-year-old Luka Doncic, who is in his prime and carries the prowess of turning the tables with his mere presence on the court. However, in the end, it is still LeBron James, against whom the parallels are being drawn. After a career span of over two decades, LeBron James owns every scoring chart that there is and is arguably the greatest to ever grace the floor. For Luka Doncic, it is still a long way to do and a decade more of consistency will highlight whether he will go down under the same column as James or not. For now, it would be interesting to witness what transpires when the two will be together for the same purpose.