LeBron James

For a long, long while now, fans have seen fit to speculate how long LeBron James can continue to be counted among the best of the best in the National Basketball Association. And all the second-guessing has been markedly pronounced, his stellar numbers notwithstanding. In fact, the rumination has become nothing short of a ritual; as soon as a new season comes along, even his most avid followers wonder how long he can keep retirement at bay.

Such was certainly the case heading into the Lakers’ 2024-25 campaign. As James prepped for his record-tying 22^nd season, all and sundry asked if they were finally going to see a significant dip in his production — not unlike every single player before him. With his 40^th birthday in the horizon, how much wear and tear could he still absorb? And it wasn’t as if he used the offseason to recharge; he stayed extremely busy, leading Team USA to hoops gold in the Paris Olympics.

To be fair, the Lakers prepared for a transition that had James taking in less load and ceding the role of primary option to fellow All-Star Anthony Davis. The plan was for him to dramatically reduce his usage rate in favor of freshness for the projected playoff grind. And, early on, the idea looked sound; he handled the ball less, facilitated more, and gladly took in the wins while letting his erstwhile sidekick claim more of the spotlight.

Unfortunately, any good intentions the Lakers had when it came to James’ exposure went out the window as soon as they encountered adversity. Once they began to absorb more losses, their reliance on him increased — and to the point of mirroring last year’s minutes. His productivity has sagged alarmingly over the last four games, with his norms of 16, eight, and eight on 42.2% shooting from the field telling only part of the story. Even the eye test has been unkind to him; his turnovers — five per game through the same period — have featured a shocking level of sloppiness that can no longer be ignored or excused.

Has James doomed himself to a season of mediocrity by chasing greatness over the summer? Or is he at last succumbing to the vagaries of age? By all accounts, he’s healthy enough to suit up; he has not missed a contest so far, and vows to play every single one — as if to underscore his fitness. If nothing else, though, his pedestrian showing in recent memory calls into question the soundness of his aim. Why go for quantity at the expense of quality? His shots, even at the rim where was hitherto all but automatic, have been short, and his mobility seems compromised.

To be sure, James deserves the benefit of the doubt. He has, after all, been the NBA’s version of Thanos since being drafted first overall in 2003; he is inevitable. If the past is any indication, he will get better as the months go by and the postseason draws near. That said, how much better is anybody’s guess at this point. And in some little corner somewhere, Father Time is slowly breaking into a smile.

Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.