"I'm not taking LeBron out" - Stephen A. Smith justifies snubbing Kevin Durant on his All-Star starting lineup in favor of Victor Wembanyama & AD

2024 HOPE Global Forum - Source: Getty
Stephen A. Smith justifies snubbing Kevin Durant on his All-Star starting lineup in favor of Victor Wembanyama & AD. (Credits: Getty)

The NBA All-Star Game starters have been revealed, and as happens every year, it didn't take long before people started talking about who had been snubbed. The league has never had as much talent as it does now, so this is bound to happen constantly.

Even so, ESPN pundit Stephen A. Smith still thinks that Victor Wembanyama should've made the cut in the Western Conference:

"This brother is averaging 24 (points) and ten (rebounds) and leading the league with four blocks per game. He's shooting 47% from the field. The young fella is shooting 35% from three-point range," Smith said. I think that he's a person that should've been in there."

Notably, he believes that Anthony Davis was also snubbed. More than that, he thinks that either Wembanyama or AD should've taken Kevin Durant's spot:

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"I think you have to think about Anthony Davis," Smith continued. "He's averaging 25 and 11. The Lakers are a top-six seed in the Western Conference, (and) I'm not taking LeBron out. I would have to take Kevin Durant out. I understand he's KD, and he's sensational, and he's missed ten games due to injury, but the Phoenix Suns ain't that great."

Durant has been his usual self this season, but the Suns are 22-21 and No. 10 in the Western Conference, so it somehow makes sense.

Kevin Durant isn't going anywhere from the game

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots during an NBA game. (Credits: IMAGN)
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots during an NBA game. (Credits: IMAGN)

The Phoenix Suns are struggling to keep up with the rest of the pack, but that has nothing to do with Kevin Durant's play.

The 36-year-old has been as dominant a scorer as he's always been, posting averages of 27.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.2 three-pointers per game, shooting 52 percent from the floor and 38 percent from beyond the arc.

That's why, even though KD is not getting any younger, he's not even thinking about walking away from the game:

“I ain’t a regular 36-year-old,” Durant told Yahoo Sports after the win over the Detorit Pistons. “How many people are playing at this level at my age?"

Kevin Durant could still be a 1A or 1B piece on a championship-caliber team, and the Suns are well aware of that.

Their latest move with the Utah Jazz put them closer to acquiring Jimmy Butler in a trade that could get them over the top. Indeed, a player of KD's caliber deserves another shot at the NBA Finals.

Phoenix Suns Fans? Check out the latest Suns depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

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Edited by William Paul
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