“You gotta start talking about shutting LeBron James down” - Jay Williams believes the LA Lakers superstar should be rested if the team continues to struggle
NBA and LA Lakers superstar LeBron James and the minutes he has accrued this season may need to be watched, according to Jay Williams.
On ESPN's morning show First Take, former NBA player Jay Williams spoke about how King James isn't getting younger and that if the Lakers don't improve then they need to think about shutting their main man down. Williams said:
"Sustainability and durability for LeBron James, you want to protect your asset. And in 10 games, if you go 4-6 or 2-8 in those 10 games, you start talking about shutting LeBron James down."
Upon hearing the news of Anthony Davis needing at least two weeks to return from a nasty ankle injury he picked up in the game against the Utah Jazz, Williams is speaking about the possibility of shutting LeBron for the season if their results don't improve.
The Lakers have struggled all season long and are likely to struggle even more without the services of Davis.
Should the LA Lakers think about shutting down LeBron James?
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
The acquisition of Russell Westbrook was supposed to ease the workload on James but that has since not gone according to plan. James has ended up needing to do a lot more for the Lakers to even come close to winning a game this season.
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.
But the major tradeoff for the Lakers here is 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.