LeBron James hasn’t drained a three-point shot since the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss to the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 26. He is now 0-of-19 from the perimeter in his last four games. He has been a net negative for the Purple and Gold over his last seven outings and has begun to look his age.
At 39 years old, James’ decline is inevitable. Sure, it’s fun to look at his incredible production and marvel at how he’s defying the aging process. But, those age-defying moments are slowly becoming further apart. And the performances we’ve seen these past few weeks, where he looks like an aging version of himself, are beginning to become a normality.
When speaking to the media following the Lakers’ 109-80 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, James admitted that he’s been out of rhythm in recent weeks.
“It’s everything. It’s the rhythm. I just feel off rhythm the last few, three or four games,” James told Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “Work. Just work. That’s all.”
Unfortunately for James, more work is the last thing he needs. It’s no coincidence that his struggles are coming after playing all of the Lakers’ games to begin the season. James needs rest, not more miles on the clock.
Sooner or later, James needs to accept that his body can’t recover the way it used to. He must also accept that his minutes must be managed a little more than he would like. After all, the goal is to make a deep postseason run, not set a regular-season record. James would be wise to look around the NBA at other aging stars and how they’re being protected during the regular season.
When healthy and rested, James is still a top-10 or top-20 player in the NBA. But, when he’s playing on tired legs and has begun to slow down due to fatigue, he looks like a player who is days away from his 40th birthday and firmly in the final year or two of his career.
It’s time we all accept that James can’t be a leading star on a nightly basis. The quicker he accepts that, the faster we can all get back to appreciating his incredible skill and historic career.