James s data is still explosive at the age of 40, why did he lead the team fail? The answer is unthinkable

The most lively topic in the fan circle recently is James' choice - he finally decided to implement the $52.6 million player option next season and stay with the Lakers. The 40-year-old James bets on Los Angeles for his 23rd season of his career. But the question is also: Is James's operation trusting the Lakers or leaving a hand? More importantly, can he still be the core of the championship at the age of 40? Let's talk slowly.

Let's first figure out: Why did Zhan stay?

To be honest, Zhan Zhan’s choice is somewhat "market-forced". If he jumped out of his contract and became a free agent, there were almost no teams in the league who could directly sign him in the championship game - except for the Nets who were rebuilding, they were training rookies and did not match James' championship game goal at all.

Even if you leave "sign first and then change", it will be troublesome. This operation will trigger a hard salary cap, and teams with the ability to compete for the championship will not be able to withstand it, and subsequent signings will be locked down. The execution options are much more flexible: James retains the right to veto the transaction, and has the final say on where he wants to go; he can also observe the Lakers' operations this summer, and if the management is strong, he will continue to rush; if it is bad, he can still choose as a free agent next year.

There is another most realistic point: 52.6 million yuan of real money, for the Zhan at the end of his career, it will be useless to not take it. After all, this may be the last big contract he can fully control.

But the question is even more heartbreaking: What is the level of James now?

Look at the data first: In the past 24-25 season, James played 70 games, averaging 34.9 minutes per game, scoring 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, shooting 51.3%, and 37.6% of three-pointers. The high-level data is not bad either. The WS (match contribution value) ranked sixth in the league and the PER (efficiency value) ranked seventh. This data is considered top among 30-year-old players.

Can lead the team? The Lakers were third in the Western Conference in the regular season and were eliminated 1-4 by the Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs. What's even more embarrassing is that in these five playoff games, the Lakers lost 41 points when they were there - even worse than Luca and Rivers, who were also defensive, and the main players were only slightly better than Hachimura.

Why are the data good but the team leads poorly? To put it bluntly, the 40-year-old body can't stand it anymore. The most intuitive thing is the free throw: James averaged only 4.7 free throws per game this season, the lowest in his career in 22 years - he used to make a living by breaking through and causing damage, but now he can't make a rush and can only shoot three-pointers. However, although he averaged 5.7 free throws per game (0.6 more than last season), his shooting percentage dropped by 3.4%, only 37.6%.

is more difficult to defend. In the past, when Thick Eyebrow was there, James only needed to assist in defense; after Thick Eyebrow left, James had to carry the defense by himself, and his physical strength could not keep up. Just talk about the game against the Bulls on March 28, the Lakers led by 5 points in the last 12 seconds. As a result, James made two consecutive mistakes: he chose the wrong person in a pinch attack, allowing the opponent to make a three-pointer; he was intercepted when a pass was too obvious, which directly led to overtake. Such a low-level mistake was impossible for him to make when he was 30 years old - his physical strength declined, his reaction was slow, and his judgment was not accurate. Can the Lakers lineup support James?

It's heartbreaking: No matter how strong James is in the Lakers' current stance, it's hard to lead him away.

First of all, there is a defensive loophole. After Davis left, the Lakers set up a "three-back" lineup, which was short and had poor defense. They were targeted by the Timberwolves' Gobert and Randle in the playoffs. What's even more outrageous is that this summer the Lakers also let go of defensive champion Finney Smith. Although Ayton, who sometimes has no defensive intentions, the rotation depth directly collapsed.

followed by tactical contradictions. James has a big core with the ball, and needs a lot of ball rights; Luka also has a big core with the ball, and the two have a big core with the ball rights overlap, so no one feels comfortable playing. Luca's defense is easy to be targeted, and the team needs to wipe his butt. How can he have resources for Mr. Gu? Unless Luka suddenly becomes a master without the ball + defensive gate - this possibility is basically equivalent to winning the lottery.

Can James still compete for the championship? The answer may be realistic

Objectively speaking, it is basically impossible to make the 40-year-old James the first core to compete for the championship. His playing style is too greedy for the ball, and his efficiency is average when playing without the ball. With a maximum salary of 52.6 million, no team is willing to let him be a "support". But if he is given a second leader who does not occupy the ball, can attack and has strong defense, and is still able to save himself as the third leader or the second leader. For example, if Leonard is willing to join forces, it may be a solution, but the Clippers have no salary space; the Nets can take it, but they have to train rookies.

After a round, James stayed in the Lakers, which may be the best choice at this stage. After all, in addition to the difficulty of competing for the championship, the Lakers can give him the best business resources, exposure, and support from fans.

The last question: Will James retire after playing this season?

It depends on his desire for the fifth crown. If the Lakers still have no hope of competing for the championship next season, James may have to accept that he is not the core role - but how can superstars be "green leaves"? Especially a historical super giant like James, who already has four championships in hand. Are you really willing to lower your posture for the fifth championship?

But from another perspective, being able to fight until the age of 40 and still being the core of the league is a miracle. Zhan Zhan's persistence has long exceeded the scope of "winning for the championship" - he is fighting against time and proving the power of love.

No matter what, the Lakers will be the focus next season. Is the 23rd season of Zhan sequel to the legend or the regretful ending? Let's move the small stool and watch it slowly.