Is LeBron already on the decline?

[DMAVS41]

Lebron has a couple options. Lose weight and work daily on his three point shooting and improve it enough to continue hanging around the perimeter.......or:

Keep the weight and work daily on a legit low post and wing post game.

I'm in favor of the post game. Lebron doesn't need to be doing much more than that. Let Wade and Bosh run the pick and rolls and let Lebron abuse people on the post.

Its really not that hard. Lebron has the size to dominate on the post. He's one of the best passers in the league. He has great ability to draw contact and finish. His face up jumper on the wing post is already good.

Why on earth did the Heat not do that this year? Wade/Chalmers need to be the primary perimeter players....running pick and pops with Bosh and Haslem. Its perfect. Bosh and Haslem can both nail jumpers off that so it clears lanes for driving. This opens up the corners for shooters and allows lobs, cutting lanes, and offensive board opportunities for James off the weak side.

That is all the Heat need and Lebron will add years to his career if he can develop a post game.

[swi7ch]

All that weight he's gaining is making him decline.

[d.bball.guy]

Include the receding hairline to his overall decline.

[Colin Cowherd]

He has another 6-8 years of prime performance left.

[LeFraud James]

He has another 6-8 years of prime regular season performance left.

Fixed.

[IN-PAX-WE-TRUST]

All players over 6'6 experience a decline around 28-29. He's probably got one more year before he begins to show signs of a decline.

[Eat Like A Bosh]

By watching the games, it does seem like LeBron lost a little athletically wise.
2009 does look like LeBron's peak so far.
But he's so good that even a small decline in athletic ability he's still one of the best.

[ShaqAttack3234]

Haha! We have already yet to see his prime prime.

I thought this was stupid when people were claiming this several years ago. Depending on what you consider a player's prime, you could argue he entered his prime as early as his 3rd season, at the latest, '08 or '09 was already his prime and I will bet that 2009 will remain his peak.

Nope, his body isn't declining and neither is his game. He's still a top player and in 2011 was a better player than he was in 2009/10. He just needs to work on his offense and keep his body in shape...ie drop something like 20-25 to regain the mobility that he had in years past.

He was not better in 2011 than 2009 and 2010. Lebron was already really bulky by 2009, he hasn't gained 20-25 since then.

[Rose]

Wait...so...he's not declining, but he's not the best player in the world anymore?

I never knew so many Bronzy fans realized Dwight is the best.

[imdaman99]

nah, most likely near his prime right now. he can still get better. i suppose a post game will only mean his speed is slowing down and he is ready to pro-long his career, but everyone wants him to develop a post game.

his hairline has already started declining though. tough luck.

[asdf1990]

Had Durant already peaked?

[Batz]

Lebron has a couple options. Lose weight and work daily on his three point shooting and improve it enough to continue hanging around the perimeter.......or:

Keep the weight and work daily on a legit low post and wing post game.

I'm in favor of the post game. Lebron doesn't need to be doing much more than that. Let Wade and Bosh run the pick and rolls and let Lebron abuse people on the post.

Lebron can lose weight, shoot threes and gain a post game altogether. I don't see why it's that complicated as you make it to be.


Anyways, he has lost some athleticism. To me it's very obvious, his leaping ability, speed and overall explosiveness isn't what it used to be like in his Cleveland years. He was just a monster then.

He probably statistically peaked already, but his best basketball seasons are yet to come.

But he's not on the decline. He's getting smarter and more skilled. This year I've seen him develop a solid pullup jumper, or atleast better than what it usually was. And it can only get better from there.

Had Durant already peaked?

Doubt it. He can improve so much, both with his body and his skill sets (especially defensively).

[magnax1]

I don't think he was really any worse this year the in 10. He played a ton better defense this year and he scored 3 ppg less not because he was a worse scorer, but because he has team mates to share with instead of having 4 spotup shooters and a couple pick and roll guys centered around him the whole game. He was less athletic, but he made up for it with quite a big improvement on his jumpshot, though it's still inconsistent.

[Sarcastic]

He just needs to lose some weight. 250-255 lbs is the ideal weight for LeBron. He doesn't need those muscles if he don't want to play at the post.

Tell him to stop taking steroids.

[Butters]

Nope, solid numbers and his best shooting year,there was no decline..at all.
Unless you count the finals,thats about it.