Los Angeles Lakers supporters and the NBA world at large must face the fact that LeBron James is no longer the league’s best player.
When all is said and done, Los Angeles Lakers’ forward LeBron James will go down in history as one of the NBA’s all-time greats. Where he exactly fits placement wise is up for debate, but I can already tell you this much. His spot on the list is rather high.
However, one thing is for certain. I do not think it is a stretch to say that James no longer deserves the title of being the best basketball player on earth.
Sure, the numbers he is producing still signify something. Following Sunday’s loss to the New York Knicks, No. 23 is averaging 27.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game for Los Angeles. Those numbers are robust, for sure, but they are fairly deceptive.
James is shooting .664 percent from the charity stripe in 2018-2019. Albeit James has never been a superb free throw shooter, that kind of stuff is not getting the job done. It has cost the Lakers at times this season.
Moreover, James’ shooting percentage sits at .514, his lowest mark since his first season back in Cleveland. While he remains a pretty effective player, it does indicate James may be showing signs of rust as his career is progressing.
LeBron’s turnovers per game are not too encouraging, either, although it is fair to point out that his career mark stands at 3.5, which is where he is at now.
Given that he is a ball dominant player, it makes sense that James’ numbers in that area will be elevated. However, one could make a case his turnovers should be a bit lower. Sometimes LBJ tries to add too much mozzarella on his passes when he only needs to execute a simple one.
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Now, do not get me wrong. James is still an outstanding player. In spite of that, there are reasons outside of the statistics alone that suggest he should no longer be called “The King” of hoops.
Ever since he returned from his groin injury, the 34-year-old just does not look the same. There is not the same bounce in his step. He has looked slower, and, at times, robotic in his movements. The joy and fierceness so many are used to seeing from him is not always there.
It is hard to articulate, but the injury he sustained on Christmas may indeed be to blame in some respects. It reveals that James is not immortal. Father Time is undefeated, and that injury may have been the first real sign that the three-time champion is not going to be great forever.
Of course, James is not the only Laker who has sustained a big blow this season. The Lakers’ inability to stay healthy has plagued them all year. It has been rare sight to see the full team active at the same time.
Despite this factor, there is an even greater reason as to why James is no longer the game’s best asset. Per Marc Stein of The New York Times, part of why James is at fault for the Lakers’ woes is due to the array of Anthony Davis trade rumors last month.
The Lakers’ superstar was okay with letting practically half the team go for Davis. As a result, as Stein exhibits, this rampant speculation “irreparably fractured the locker room.”
It is difficult to blame the Lakers, namely their younger players. While trade rumors are part of the business, James is supposed to be a leader on this team.
Thus, to essentially throw the team under the bus in favor of getting a player is ludicrous. Leaders do not behave in such a manner. First and foremost, it sheds light on there being a lack of trust in those around him.
Unfortunately, this has led to the same more or less from his teammates. For well over a month, the Lakers’ fluidity on the court has been clearly affected. They are not having fun like they were earlier in the season, hence their current record.
For all I know, some of the Lakers’ players may not even want LeBron in town after this season. I cannot say I know that for sure, yet it is fair to argue some players may be fed up with him.
For quite some time now, the team’s energy on the court has been different since those AD rumors swelled up. In all sincerity, this is a group that does not appear as if they like one another too well. Certainly, James is a major contributor as to why this is the case.
As Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report said last month, the Lakers’ superstar has not been secretive when it comes to his desire to play with another star.
At that juncture, Pincus quoted a league executive on the matter. The executive had the following to say about James.
"“He killed the [Lakers’] chemistry,” one NBA executive said. “He shouldn’t have been so public about it. Even during the All-Star draft, he laughed about [wanting Davis to be his teammate].”"
Now, let’s be honest. Headed into the season, the Lakers had signed some questionable pieces to one-year pacts. Nobody thought things would be perfect in Hollywood.
That being said, the weight that was put on LeBron’s shoulders was tremendous. For a man coming off an eighth straight Finals appearance, the burden was incredible.
On that note, that could explain why LeBron is no longer “The King.” Because of his elongated presence in the postseason, his body might be getting to a point of exhaustion. He has logged a ton of minutes.
Now, while that is true, it is still no excuse for not displaying good effort. The Ohio native has been a liability for the Lakers on defense this year. For someone who coins himself as “The King,” at least make it look like you are trying. Seriously.
He has gotten blow by a number of times, and it has likewise killed the Lakers. I have the following to put forth in this area. If you are going to criticize your teammates’ efforts, hold yourself accountable as well when you fail to do your job. A job you get paid millions upon millions to do.
Needless to say, the jabs would probably go away if the Lakers were winning more often. In my mind, James deserves just as much criticism as the others, though. He has not been the same player in the fourth quarter in comparison to how he is in the first three.
For a guy who was signed to be their closer, he has been a disappointment year-round. He has not shown what it means to be an assassin at the end of games.
Also, Mister James, if you really are “The King” of the sport, at least looked engaged. At the bare minimum. Please. When you are not paying attention to what the coach is saying on the bench, that is not portraying yourself all too well. It is not only a bad example for your teammates, but for the younger generation athletes who idolized you growing up.
Yes, LeBron. I get that the 2018-2019 campaign has not gone as expected. Nobody thought things would be this bad.
However, it is still important to keep the chin up and play hard until the season is over. Acting like you do not even want to be in a Lakers’ jersey is disgusting. It is not cool by any means.
In other words, stop whining and just play. The poor body language is demonstrative of a quitter’s mentality. Which is even more absurd.
Wearing the purple and gold is a high honor. Disgracing those colors by acting in such a selfish fashion is beyond me, and due to actions like these, it further proves why LeBron James should no longer be called “The King” of the NBA.