Stephen A. Smith: 'The Clippers are mopping the streets of L.A. with the Los Angeles Lakers'

Smith's rant comes on the heels of Wednesday's news that LeBron James had agreed to a historic two-year, $97.1 million contract extension, which includes a third-year option. With Russell Westbrook's status for the fall seemingly still up in the air given the rampant trade rumors, multiple groups have ESPN insiders have recently projected the Lakers to finish outside of the group of top Western Conference contenders.

While James will be 38 in December, he is still proven to be one of the best players in the NBA, as evidenced by his Third Team All-NBA selection despite being limited to just 56 games last season. With James' advanced age however, along with Anthony Davis' lengthy injury history and Westbrook's roller coaster first year in Los Angeles, it's not surprising to hear Smith say the Clippers will continue to carry the torch in the "City of Angels."

Since winning the NBA title in the "bubble" less than two years ago, the Lakers have been on a steady downward trajectory. They exited in the first round of the 2021 playoffs and failed to even qualify for the tournament in 2022.