Lakers’ LeBron James Gets Ultimate Challenge from Stephen A. Smith

Getty LeBron James went through a rough year in los Angeles.

Carmelo Anthony joining the Los Angeles Lakers?

Stephen A. Smith likes it!

“I personally, personally believe that LeBron should find a way to get him in LA,” Stephen A. Smith told Power 105’s The Breakfast Club on Thursday.

“I personally believe that.

“I think that LeBron in LA could use him with the Lakers.”

The Lakers do have one final roster spot and many believe that Carmelo Anthony still has some game left in the tank to compete against many of the NBA’s elite.

The Lakers and Anthony had mutual interests toward the end of last season — until a mound of LA losses occurred.

The Lakers had quite a busy offseason. Six players returned from last season.

That list includes: LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma, JaVale McGee, Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso.

Lakers newcomers include: Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, Dwight Howard, Danny Green, Avery Bradley, Jared Dudley, Quinn Cook, Troy Daniels and rookie Talen Horton-Tucker.

The Lakers also have a new head coach in Frank Vogel and assistant coach in Jason Kidd.

What’s next?

Melo contemplated retirement last season.

In an interview with Taryn Finley of the Huffington Post, Melo suggested that he is at peace with the fact he may not play much longer. “I’m sure [retirement is] coming soon,” he said.

“I’d be sitting lying to you if I said it’s not coming soon. I think I want it to come soon. I don’t think I want to do this forever, but because you love it so much, it’s hard to give it up. At the end of the day, at anything you do, when it’s your time to go, it’s your time to go. But as long as you feel good with that.”

Where should Melo go?

“The place that wants him,” newly retired NBA legend, Dwyane Wade tells me.

“The place that’s going to allow him to be Melo and understand that he still can play the game of basketball.”

Melo to Brooklyn from a basketball standpoint makes sense.

The Nets have a potent roster with names like Caris LeVert, Joe Harris and Spencer Dinwiddie complimenting Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.

The Nets will likely be without Durant this season as he recovers from a ruptured Achilles tendon.

“He could be a bench player asset to play and may be a good cheap replacement in a sense for KD this season,” Josh Hicks of Chicago’s Regal Radio suggested to me.

Anthony signed with the Houston Rockets last summer after clearing waivers in a trade that shipped him from the Thunder to the Atlanta Hawks. After signing with the Rockets he was later traded to the Chicago Bulls before the NBA’s trading deadline.

“His first year in the league, he took a 17-win Nuggets team to the Playoffs in the West as a rookie,” said Fox Sports’ Chris Broussard.

“He is one of the best 300 players in the world that’s not playing,” TNT’s Kenny Smith told me in April.

“You can’t say he’s not one of the best 300 players.”