Stephen A. Smith Needs to Chill: Hart's Loyalty Isn't the Problem

Stephen A. Smith, bless his heart, went on another one of his patented rants this week, this time aimed squarely at Josh Hart. The Knicks forward dared to defend his friend, Mikal Bridges, after Smith called Bridges "soft" for his performance against the Boston Celtics. Smith's argument boiled down to Bridges not being a "true number one option" for the Nets, and Hart, in his eyes, was out of line for pushing back.

Look, I get it. Stephen A. makes his living with hot takes and theatrical outrage. It's his brand. But this particular tirade felt… off. Hart wasn't saying Bridges was the second coming of Michael Jordan. He was simply sticking up for a guy he played with at Villanova, a guy who, by the way, has started 471 consecutive NBA games. That's not soft; that's durable. That's a professional.

Here's the thing: Bridges isn't a superstar. Nobody's claiming he is. His career high in points per game is 20.1 from last season. He’s a fantastic two-way player, an elite defender who averaged 1.1 steals and 0.5 blocks in 2023-24. He’s a valuable piece on any team, but he’s not carrying a franchise. The Nets, for all their struggles, know this. They built that team around Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, remember? When those guys left, Bridges was thrust into a role he wasn't designed for.

Smith's criticism of Bridges felt personal, almost like he expected the guy to magically transform into a scoring machine overnight. Bridges shot 43.6% from the field this past season, down from 46.8% the year before. He struggled at times, absolutely. The Nets went 32-50, missing the playoffs entirely. There's plenty to critique about their season. But to call Bridges "soft" and then lambast Hart for having his friend's back? That’s where Stephen A. loses the plot.

Real talk: Hart's loyalty is actually a good thing. In an era where players switch teams like socks, seeing a guy stand up for a friend, even when that friend is getting roasted on national television, is refreshing. Hart himself is a tough-nosed player, a guy who averaged 9.4 rebounds per game as a guard this year. He plays with an edge. He knows what it means to grind. When he says Bridges isn't soft, he's speaking from experience.

The Knicks, Hart's current team, just finished 50-32 and earned the second seed in the Eastern Conference. They're built on toughness and camaraderie. You think Tom Thibodeau would want a player who sits silently while his former teammates get ripped to shreds? No chance. Hart's actions reflect the kind of team-first mentality that wins games.

My hot take? Stephen A. Smith, for all his bluster, is actually doing a disservice to the game by discouraging genuine player relationships. Sports are about more than just stats and championships; they're about the bonds formed on the court and in the locker room. Josh Hart understood that. Stephen A. clearly didn't.

And frankly, if I'm a player, I'd rather have a Josh Hart in my corner than someone who bows down to every TV pundit.