Lebron is getting old. He turns 34 in December, and this is not only when all great players start to noticeably decline, but it is statistically also when they suffer career-limiting or career-ending injuries. The likelihood of Lebron suffering a catastrophic injury soon is statistically almost a sure thing.
- Kobe tore his achilles when he was 34.
Michael Jordan left at 34, but in his first season back with the Wizards, he tore up his knee.
Scottie Pippen dropped off greatly at 33, then struggled with injuries at 35, eventually forcing him to retire.
Shaq had knee surgery at 34, and he was essentially done.
Dominique Wilkins tore his achilles when he was 33. A year later he was playing in Greece.
Charles Barkley tore his quad tendon when he was 31, never was the same after that. Another torn quad forced him to be carried off the court.
James Worthy had to have knee surgery at 31, which forced him to retire a year later.
Tim Duncan was never the same player when he hit 34.
This list goes on and on because father time is undefeated. It is inevitable.
We've all seen this movie before, many, many times. Too many times. But hope is a son of a bitch. It seduces you to rob you of good sense. The Lakers got into bed with Karl Malone and Gary Payton in 2003 and and Nash and Dwight in 2012. And then when they fell apart, we realized the obvious. Hope can make you blind.
Lebron's signing of a 4-year $154m contract was a mistake. It was a mistake like Kobe's extension at the same age. It always is a mistake.
There's still time to fix that mistake. Lebron is still highly valued, but it's a bubble. He's set up for a bank run. One injury, and it's over. A few articles pointing out his fade (Lebron has slipped on defense for two straight seasons), it's over.
Trading him will be a PR nightmare for one season, but that is far more preferable than half a decade of being handcuffed by mediocrity. We've also seen that movie before.
Let's stop being fools. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, the cock crows and we need divine intervention.
I'm really tired of Los Angeles being a slaughterhouse for superstars. Let's let somebody else shoot the elephant for once. It is a beast of enormous burden. Years of watching the blood dry on the carcasses of giants weighs too much on the soul.
they're my top priority IMO
