Los Angeles Lakers: 5 Reasons why LeBron James will win MVP in 2019-20

(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
6 of 6
Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

1. He looked great after his groin injury

It seems like some have forgotten that after he returned from his groin injury, LeBron not only played well, but looked good physically.

It took a couple weeks for him to get his mojo back, but starting in late February, it seemed like his hops, explosiveness and overall mobility had returned.

In 16 games after the All-Star break, LeBron averaged 28.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game on 51.0 percent overall shooting. That compares favorably to the numbers he put up before his injury (27.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists on 51.8 shooting from the field).

There is no evidence that he is all of a sudden injury-prone after suffering the first significant injury of his career, even though he is now 34 and has a ton of mileage on his body. There is also no evidence that, as of now, he is on the decline in terms of production.

As long as he avoids any other major injuries, he could have as many as two more years at an elite level left in him. He could age gracefully and still be able to play at an All-Star level at age 38 or even 39, just like fellow Lakers Karl Malone and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

As of now, there is no reason to expect LeBron to significantly decline next season.