“A Major Problem”: As Phoenix Suns Prep for Showdown With LeBron James’ Lakers, Stephen A. Smith Teases Shift in Power

Stephen A. Smith served as an analyst for ESPN for around two decades. With that wealth of experience behind him, when Smith makes a prediction, one is bound to take notice. On the latest episode of ESPN’s First Take, he made a prediction concerning the NBA franchise, the Phoenix Suns. According to Smith, the Suns will be a team to keep an eye on during the upcoming NBA season.

Last time, the Suns fell to the Denver Nuggets in the Conference semifinals. The Nuggets would go on to win the NBA championship, as well. During the pre-season, the Suns won three and lost one, so far. That loss came against the Nuggets once more. The Suns will play the Los Angeles Lakers this evening in their final tune-up before facing the Golden State Warriors next Tuesday. Stephen A. Smith posited the Suns can cause any team in the league problems.

Phoenix Suns legitimate contenders in the West, per Stephen A. Smith

Simultaneously, Stephen A. Smith stopped short of naming the Suns the favorites in the Western Conference. Smith said, “… the Suns are going to be a major problem.” He noted the reigning NBA champions would continue to have a say in that regard. Smith gave his reasons for saying this and said, “They’ve got the best player in basketball, they’ve got a superstar in Jamal Murray, he’s big-time, particularly in big games and more importantly, they’ve got this level of chemistry and synergy that everybody else is looking for.” Even so, he considers the Suns legitimate contenders.

Smith highlighted the Suns’ sheer level of talent and ability to score versus any team. He also pointed to head coach Frank Vogel as a solution to many of their past defensive woes. Smith said, “When you look at the highly motivated Frank Vogel getting fired as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, highly incentivized to make a difference, defense being his signature, you don’t expect them to struggle as much defensively as they did the last year, particularly with the departure of Monty Williams.” He expects the Suns to influence the course of proceedings in the Western Conference heavily.

Stephen A. Smith took into account the offense the Suns have the luxury of fielding. He called Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal big-time offensive weapons any franchise would kill to have. As Smith put it, “… Kevin Durant is still one of the superstars in this game. Devin Booker, to me, is a big-time star and Bradley Beal is a big-time scorer. The combination of the three, offense is not going to be a problem for this team … I definitely think that the Phoenix Suns are gonna have something to say about supremacy within the Western Conference.” Smith also noted getting DeAndre Ayton out was key, predicting Jusuf Nurkic would prove to be a clinical addition.

‘Good friend’ opts to keep an open mind on the GOAT debate

When the Suns face the Lakers today, it will surprise no one if Stephen A. Smith roots for the former. Smith once clashed with LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul, over the GOAT debate. Smith considers Michael Jordan the best to play basketball, unlike Paul. That proved to be a sticking point.

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Charles Barkley, a Suns legend, is one of Smith’s good friends. Barkley had occasion to both face and line up with Jordan. He agreed with Smith on the GOAT debate but kept an open mind. Barkley opined last year there were potential achievements that could force a rethink in James’ favor.

After their season opener against the Warriors, the Suns will face the Lakers two days later. With that in mind, the pre-season fixture takes on added significance. Testing themselves against another franchise that made it to last season’s playoffs, and LeBron James, will tell them a lot about their standing. Stephen A. Smith believes the Suns have enough in their ranks to make a statement in the Western Conference this NBA season. All that remains is to see how well his prediction pans out.

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