The Lakers shook the NBA on February 2, pulling off a historic move—landing Luka Doncic from the Mavericks. Even now, it feels surreal. But guess what? The 25-year-old finally made his Lakers debut on Sunday, rocking his No. 77 jersey. He dropped 14 points, helping LA crush the Jazz 132-113. Sounds like a dream start, right? Well, not for Stephen A. Smith. As always, he’s got something to say.

Stephen A. Smith has a message for Rob Pelinka—Luka Doncic alone won’t cut it. The Lakers need reinforcements. And guess who could help? Dwight Howard. He’s been out of the NBA since 2022, putting on a show in Taiwan. But LA needs a true five, and Dwight fits the bill. Crazy idea? Maybe. But hey, Hollywood loves a comeback. However, for Brian Windhorst, the idea felt nothing less than absurdity.

“I will say this, though, and I haven’t seen him in a couple of years,” Smith said on Tuesday during an episode of First Take. “I don’t know how he’s looking Windy, but I’m finding it hard to believe, like, you know, all you need is somebody to defend the rebound. Why not look at a Dwight Howard? Why not look at somebody off the scrap heap? He’s always in shape. He never looks out of shape at all. 

“Don’t get me wrong, I understand Windy, I know that we ain’t seen him in a while, but Sharon brought up names like JaVale McGee. Just look, I would say this to you, Windy, look around the league, who’s available? I mean what are we talking about here?” Just like many analysts before SAS mentioned, Luka Doncic wouldn’t be the sole solution for the Los Angeles Lakers. They lack a center, and surely Dwight Howard could solve the problem. However, Smith’s point seemed off the track.

Meanwhile, Brian Windhorst couldn’t believe what he was listening to. Rubbing his forehead and showing clear signs of frustration retaliated. He does not think that the Lakers going after a player like Howard is a good idea. “DeMarcus Cousins is playing in Mongolia, why don’t you call him,” Windy retorted sharply. “He’s literally playing in Mongolia, Dwight Howard’s going into the Hall of Fame, because he’s retired for so long, the last time that he played was in Taiwan. Are you being serious?”

But well, SAS was serious. He doesn’t think that Howard would need to do much, and he doesn’t think that the Lakers have a lot of other options. That’s true though! With Luka Doncic on the team, Rob Pelinka & Co. has an overcrowding situation with forwards and guards. In fact, AD was playing the center after LeBron convinced him to do so. Thus, the logic is simple from Stephen A. Smith, since the Lakers have no option, but to bring Dwight Howard and keep him on the front line. No big deal.

Stephen A. Smith stood his ground. The Lakers, he argued, just need “a big body who can rebound and play defense.” But Brian Windhorst saw an opening—and took his shot. “Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s a free agent,” he joked. But, Smith wasn’t amused. “Really? That’s what we’re doing?”

Now, Rob Pelinka has two odd options in front of him. And yes, he’s made the boldest move and acquired Luka, but what about having a center on the team?

Stephen A. Smith’s absurd opinion might make some sense for Rob Pelinka

To be fair, the Dwight Howard idea wasn’t all Stephen A. Smith. Shannon Sharpe suggested it first and backed him up against Windhorst. And honestly? They have a point. The free-agent center market isn’t exactly thrilling—Mo Bamba, Alex Len, Boban Marjanovic, Robin Lopez, and Daniel Theis. Not the most exciting list, right?

But, the Lakers look stronger with Luka and LeBron leading the charge. But there’s one problem—they still need a reliable big man. The trade deadline is gone, and their search hit a wall. Now? Options are running thin. So, maybe, just maybe, Stephen A. Smith’s idea although absurd could make some sense for Rob Pelinka & Co. as their search for a center continues.

Yes, Brian Windhorst wasn’t entertained by SAS’s Dwight Howard idea. But did that stop him from expressing his mind? No. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic played his first game for the Lakers and hopefully, he will uplift the team just like the front office has envisioned things to be. However, one thing that remains constant and concerning here is that the Lakers don’t have a five, and they need one.