Would ESPN Letting Stephen A. Smith Go Be Like If The Cleveland Cavaliers Releasing LeBron James After 2016 Finals?

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith hints the network may be laying him off as well.

ESPN’s recent layoffs dismissed many personalities for financial cutbacks.

Apparently, not even Stephen A. Smith is safe from the same fate as his former co-workers.

“Let’s deal with reality,” Smith said on his show. “This ain't the end, more is coming. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I could be next. Let me tell y’all something. Don’t ever, ever, in your life as a Black person take anything for granted. I told you before, when white folks catch a cold, Black folks catch pneumonia.”

"This ain't the end, more is coming. And yes, ladies and gentlemen, I could be next."

Thoughts on Stephen A. Smith's statement regarding the recent ESPN layoffs? 🤔

(via @FDsportsbook, The @stephenasmith Show) pic.twitter.com/NrnfGq5zct

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 4, 2023

Smith has been the face of the network for nearly a decade with his blend of hot takes and energetic personality. Even for the criticism of Smith, many acknowledge what ESPN would be without him.

If they get rid of Stephen A ESPN is done for

— GoKrazy 🚨 (@LongLiveEddie_) July 4, 2023

if they fire stephen then espn is cooked

— shane 𓃭 (@boobie_ss) July 4, 2023

One Twitter user even suggested ESPN dropping Smith would be like if the Cleveland Cavaliers released LeBron James after the 2016 Finals.

ESPN laying off Stephen A Smith is like if the Cavs released LeBron after 2016

— pop (@imightbepop) July 4, 2023

James led the Cavaliers in every statistical category during that postseason run en route to the franchise’s first championship. If he departed after this, the team would have likely crumbled the next season. The Miami Heat couldn’t even sustain success after James left in 2014, despite having Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh still on the roster. We can only imagine the trouble Cleveland would endure without him in 2017 and 2018.

ESPN could very well suffer that same fate. They’ve already shed prominent figures such as Suzy Kolber, Jeff Van Gundy and Max Kellerman. Losing Smith, their most popular figure, would almost certainly cause further detriment

Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.