The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the most disappointing teams this season. Despite comprehensively winning the inaugural In-Season tournament, the Lakers have failed to translate that form into the regular season. With the season reaching its halfway mark, the Lakers languish outside the playoff spots in the Western Conference. The Lakers’ recent slump in performances has intensified the scrutiny on LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Question marks over their ability to lead the Lakers to their 18th NBA title in franchise history have also risen. Former Timberwolves legend, Rashad McCants recently blasted LeBron for shying away from the responsibilities that come as a leader of a team. During a conversation on the Gil’s Arena podcast, McCants called out LeBron for ring chasing. He said, “He want the credit, he don’t want the blame.”

However, former Washington Wizards’ star Gilbert Arenas came to LeBron’s defense. Arenas said, “Nah, that don’t work at all. Everything is his fault. If he wins a championship, it’s somebody else’ win. If he loses, it’s his fault. He is in that position, but 39 you don’t want because the more he plays, the harder he has to play, the shorter his career.”

Of course, there’s no doubt that the Lakers have been in an abysmal state since their NBA Cup victory earlier in December. Both James and Davis are being singled out for this form of criticism by many others and not just the legend here, in the recent few weeks. But do they really deserve such criticism? Especially King James?

Does LeBron James deserve such disrespect?

While LeBron James is still playing at an elite level, sometimes people do sometimes forget that he is 39 years old. James is currently playing at a level at which the fans have never witnessed a 39-year-old play. LeBron James has recorded 24.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.6 assists per game in his 21st season as an NBA professional. Whereas the next best points per game average by a player in his 21st NBA season is Vince Carter, who averaged 7.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.

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At this stage of his career, LeBron is content to assume a secondary role. Despite a decline in his extraordinary athleticism and speed, his exceptional basketball IQ and playmaking abilities continue to be valuable assets for his teams. LeBron’s longevity is something to be marveled at, but sometimes fans’ expectations out of a 39-year-old LeBron generally go overboard. However, that’s being expected because many fans consider him the G.O.A.T.

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