Jay Williams does not want to see LeBron James fighting for a 9th or 10th seed at the risk of getting hurt: “It’s like he’s out there by his damn self”
NBA and Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has put in some incredible performances this season. That coupled with the Lakers' poor showing, have prompted folks to consider the possibility of King James shutting it down for the season.
Speaking on ESPN's morning radio show Keyshawn, JWill and Max, former NBA player Jay Williams spoke about how he does not want to see LeBron on the court fighting it out for the ninth or 10th seed in the Western Conference. Williams said:
"I don't want to see LeBron James stumble down the stretch fighting for a 9 or 10 seed and have something happen to him at this part of the season. This is why LeBron is going to be in the GOAT conversation, him and MJ, cause he is always want to go fight for it and I love this about LeBron, but this team doesn't fight for it the way LeBron James fights for it."
The Lakers are currently the ninth seed in the highly competitive Western Conference and are almost five games behind their city rivals the Los Angeles Clippers, who hold the eighth spot in the West.
Should LeBron James shut it down for the season?
LeBron James, over the years, has built up a reputation for being an iron man as he continues to defy age and logic with his incredible performances at the age of 37. King James was drafted into the NBA in 2003 and has been playing at the highest level for almost the last two decades.
LeBron James records his 23rd consecutive game with 25 points or more, tying Joel Embiid for the longest such streak this season.
He also ties Elgin Baylor for the longest single-season streak of 25 points or more by a Laker. https://t.co/ZCAd7RGpuy
At age 37, James is averaging 29.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists while shooting the ball better than 52% from the field and over 35% from beyond the arc. He has recorded four triple-doubles and 15 double-doubles this season for the L.A.-based franchise as they aim to compete for the championship. However, these incredible numbers haven't translated into wins for his team.
Father Time does seem to be catching up with James, as he has missed 17 games this season and the Lakers have lost 11 of them. Abdomen and knee issues have plagued him this term as James has to be even more careful with the way he maintains his body with all the mileage accrued over the years, playing at the highest level.
If LeBron James continues at a pace of 25.0 PPG, playing roughly 75 games per season, he would be NBA's all-time leading scorer in 2022-23.
On top of this, he has also been struggling with knee issues akin to the ankle injury he suffered last season, which will in all likelihood take the entire offseason to recover from. He has had to handle the scoring burden and in recent times has had to play power forward and center in the absence of Anthony Davis. The acquisition of Russell Westbrook was intended to ease the workload on James but has ended up increasing it.
If the Lakers do decide to sit James down for the season and essentially tank, there will be a major tradeoff for the Lakers. The fact that if their pick lands in the top 10 then it will belong to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the AD trade, and if it lands in the top 20, then it will belong to the Memphis Grizzlies. Either way, the Lakers have a call to make with regards to their future.